Ogun APC Congresses: No Victors, No Vanquished, Says Amosun
**Appeal Panel Scores Congresses 95% Success
**Lauds Osoba’s Support
By Salimot Raji
Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, has called on members of the Ogun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to unite in order to overcome the challenges ahead, noting that its month-long congresses have produced “no victors, no vanquished.”
The APC Appeal Panel disclosed on Friday that the Ward and Local Government Congresses in Ogun were inclusive, free and fair, awarding a 95% score based on oral and documentary evidence.
Amosun said those who won should be magnanimous in victory while those that lost should take it in their strides.
Amosun spoke yesterday at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Abeokuta at the end of the State Congress of the party, which was monitored by 12 officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from the state and federal levels.
He said the congresses in Ogun APC had proved that “free and fair elections are possible in Nigeria if we all abide by the rules.”
“One thing we should all take away from the conduct of our congresses is that there was no overt or covert attempt to impose candidates or disenfranchise anyone. The exercises were conducted in a peaceful atmosphere and all electors exercised their right of franchise without let or hindrance,” Amosun said.
He explained that the national secretariat of the party had provided in the Congress Guidelines opportunities for petitions and redress and that “some members of our party actually utilised the avenues.”
Commenting on the protests that nearly marred the sitting of the Appeal Panel on Wednesday, Amosun said such was not totally unacceptable in politics. “Once people don’t take laws into their own hands, then all is well and good.”
He stated further that with the overwhelming endorsement of the April 5 and 12 Ward and Local Government Congresses by the APC Appeal Panel and the success recorded in Saturday’s State Congress.
However, the APC in the State produced two parallel executives on Saturday as the two factions held their congresses separately. The group loyal to former Governor Olusegun Osoba had its own at Kidot “O” hall, Quarry road while that of Amosun group had its own at Cultural Centre, both in Abeokuta