Imo APC crisis: Osinbajo’s meeting with stakeholders ends in deadlock

Efforts of Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo to resolve the crisis which rocking the Imo state chapter of the All Progressive Congress (APC) have not yielded the desired result.

Violence marred the ward congress of the party on Saturday. Suspected thugs attacked the party’s secretariat in the state and made away with some materials meant for the congress.

Despite this, a group of APC stakeholders went ahead with the ward congress which shut out loyalists of the governor.

Okorocha had headed to Daura to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari over the crisis. He said the president promised to wade into the crisis.

On Thursday, Osinbajo held separate meetings with the two groups but at the end of the meetings, both sides held tightly to their positions.

While Okorocha said a news ward congress would hold, Eze Madumere, the deputy governor, said his group had been able to convince Osinbajo that congress held on Saturday.

Among those who attended the meeting Osinbajo held with the group opposing Okorocha were Madumere, Ifeanyi Ararume Osita Izunaso, Benjamin Umajumogu and Theodore Ekechi.

At the end of the first meeting, Ekechi, a former commissioner in Imo said they were able to show Osinbajo evidence that the congress did held.

“As you can clearly see, both from our faces and demeanor, we just had what we may call a very eventful meeting with the v ice-president,” he said.

“We are grateful for the opportunity and privilege to tell the other side of the story. I think by our presentations we have successfully deflated all the lies that have been peddled all over the country and within the state. I think by our presentation today, we have been able to state clearly that congress clearly and really held.

“What did not take place in Imo state last Saturday was simply that we resisted the temptation, the intimidation, the blackmail to write the result of the congress in the Government House Owerri.

“What did not take place last week is that we said the old has passed away and things are going to be done anew in Imo State. In other words, not one man determine the results of the congresses in the 305 wards of the state. It is very clear that APC has returned to the owners of the party, that is the people.”

One hour after the group led by Madumere left, Okorocha came into Aso Rock, accompanied by Uche Nwosu, his son-in-law, who he has endorsed as his succesor.

He also addressed reporters at the end of the meeting with the vice-president.

“There will be new congress, there was no congress at all in Imo State. And it is very clear that even the supporting documents and videos show that there was no congress. INEC has confirmed no congress, security agencies have confirmed no congress, the party leadership has confirmed no congress, the party chairman has spoken no congress,” he said.

“And, nobody came to the field, the result sheets was missing and it was traceable to the national organizing secretary’s house and all of a sudden the chairman of the panel disappeared from his house at 6pm in the evening, how could there have been congress? The matter is being investigated by the security agencies.”

Asked why he still came for the meeting if it had been established that there was no congress, Okorocha, “I didn’t come with them, I came for different thing all together. I didn’t come for this meeting.”

When reminded that the chairman of the APC in the state said there was congress, the governor said, “Okay, we can also give you a video showing clearly where he said there was no congress on that day. You know, these are manipulations that will not yield any result, they know the truth.”

Asked when the new Congress will hold, he said, “Well, it will be announced by the party.”

He said he had no idea where his deputy and others were in the villa.