ABUJA – Some states have adopted consensus candidates at the Saturday’s nationwide ward congresses of the All Progressives Congress (APC), reports the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
In Kano, a NAN correspondent, who visited some of the wards in Kano metropolis, reports that there was no sign to indicate that the congress was being conduct.
However, the party Caretaker Committee Chairman, Mr Abdullahi Gwarzo, said the party had resolved to conduct the congress through consensus.
“We have decided that the congress be conducted through consensus but where it is not possible people are free to do it through open ballot system.
“It is too early to say that the congress is not being held all over the state because it can take place in some places from now to the late evening,’’ he said.
Gwarzo assured that the party would ensure justice and fairness in the entire process.
In Yobe, most of the officials of the wards emerged through consensus.
NAN learnt that stakeholders met with the aspirants on the need to produce ward officials through consensus and decided that they would go for election where there were disagreements.
A chieftain of the party, Alhaji Sani Fema, told NAN that the congresses had been successful.
“The aspirants agreed to consensus but where there are disagreements the ward will go for election.
“In Fune Local Government Area, Ngelzarma ‘A’ ward is the only place with disagreements, but the aspirants are lobbying each other, and if they fail to agree they will go for election,’’ he said.
NAN also gathered that Hausari ward in Nguru failed to reach consensus.
Meanwhile, the APC ward congresses in Niger have been shifted to Monday because of problems of logistics.
The party’s Deputy Chairman in the state, Alhaji Umar Shuaibu, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna on Saturday.
Shuaibu said that the late arrival of officials in Minna for the conduct of the congress from APC national headquarters was responsible for the shift in date.
“The officials arrived on Friday from Abuja with the necessary papers required for the congress, but the logistics involved require more time to allow all interested persons to meet the requirements.
“Interested persons vying for the positions in the congress to be held across 274 wards are expected to make payment to the bank before filing the forms that will enable them to participate in the elections during the congress.
“We met with them and agreed that the date be shifted from Saturday, April 5 to Monday, to enable those from far distance meet the requirement and participate in the congress.
“We are prepared for the congress. I can assure you that all arrangements are in place to ensure its success on Monday,’’ he said. (NAN)
