As members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) file out today for the party’s local government congresses across the federation, the Ekiti State chapter of the party will be picking its gubernatorial candidate in a rescheduled primary lection.
This is coming as President Muhammadu Buhari returned to Abuja last night after his four-day medical trip to London, United Kingdom. Buhari was scheduled to return on Saturday.
The reason for returning one day ahead of the scheduled date was not disclosed but sources said it might not be unconnected with his desire to participate in the local government congresses.
Addressing reporters, the president said: “I just went for a checkup. I am now okay”. However, in a telephone interview with the president’s media aide, Garba Shehu, on why the President returned earlier than schedule, he said: “He has finished his business there and is back. We are ready for the campaigns”.
There is no iota of doubt that the contests are going to attract attention, considering the political drama that trailed last Saturday’s botched primary in Ekiti State and the acrimonious ward congresses held in the 9572 electoral wards in the country.
While a tough battle is expected in Ekiti between two former governors; Segun Oni and Kayode Fayemi, the local government congresses are expected to be fraught with factionalisation as the power tussles between political gladiators are making them to flex muscles and are set to use today’s exercise to test their strength.
This is coming as Justice Chiwendu Nworgu of Rivers State High Court has granted an order stopping the congress in the oil-rich state. Justice Nworgu based the decision on an interlocutory injunction sought by 23 members of the party challenging the conduct of the congress, and adjourned the matter to June 26 for hearing.
The judgment however led to a pandemonium at state judiciary complex, when the operatives of the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) and Department of State Security (DSS) operatives dispersed protesters who barricaded the court complex The protesters in their hundreds stormed the complex because Senator Magnus Abe’s camp wanted to get a court injunction stopping the camp of the transport minister, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi from going ahead with the party’s local government congress.
The situation suddenly changed when some of the protesters started throwing missiles into the court premises, hitting some judiciary workers and glasses.
It was at that point that the security operatives started firing gunshots, which forced the protesters to flee towards the post office direction leading to Government House.
Some of the protesters and pedestrians struggling to cross over from the post axis to the Town area of the city took refuge in banks and adjoining buildings. Speaking with newsmen outside the courtroom, counsel to the applicants, Henry Bello said: “The court has shown that officers of APC cannot conduct any congress in Rivers State.
The ruling is meant to sustain internal democracy in APC and other political parties. Also speaking, counsel to the APC, Tuduru Ede faulted the injunction, arguing that the injunction was transferred from a High Court in Bori to Port Harcourt in less than 24 hours with the court aiding them. The publicity secretary of the APC, Chris Fynebone, who reacted to the injunction, said that the congress was an ongoing process being carried out by the state chapter in line with the party’s constitution. Fynebone noted that the ward congress at the local government level would still take place today as scheduled despite the court order.