APC Congresses Record Mixed Bag of Outcomes for Members

February 23, (THEWILL) — As the congress of the governing All Progressives Congress, APC, gets underway across the country, stakeholders and members are calling for the conduct of a rancour-free exercise by the party. Many states where ward and local governments congresses have been held, have recorded a mix bag of success and choices for members.

In some states like Benue where a supremacy battle between the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume and Governor Hyacinth Alia has lingered, despite public reconciliation efforts by Vice President Kashim Shettima, a parallel congress was the outcome. In other states like Jigawa, Sokoto, Oyo, where the congress was conducted through consensus and in Kwara where affirmation method was used, the outcome was smooth.

In the meantime, the party has suspended congress in Osun as well as in Rivers, Ekiti and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT and constituted members of the Ward/Local Government Congresses Screening Committees, Screening Appeals Committees, as well as the Ward/LGA Congresses (election) and Congresses Appeal Committees. National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka explained that the upcoming governorship poll and area council poll are reasons for suspension of congresses in Osun, Ekit and FCT for Rivers State, the tenure of elected executive members is still subsisting. Even so, state Osun where the fallout over the selection of the governorship candidate has lingered into a bruising power play between the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegoyega Oyebanji and former National Secretary of the party, Senator Iyiola Omisore, the future outcome of might be unpredictable.

The announcement of Hon Tunde Olatunji as the deputy governorship candidate of the party has further polarised the party as stakeholders claim that many leaders of the party were not consulted before the announcement was made. Olatunji, who was a former Chief Whip of the State House of Assembly, represented the Ife North state constituency in the House from 2015 to 2023. Yet to reconcile himself to what he is said to have claimed as deliberate attempts to relegate him and his supporters in the state, Omisore has stayed away the party secretariat and from attending any political function organised by the APC either in Ile-Ife town or at the state level since Oyebamiji was pronounced the governorship candidate of the party.

By far the most violent and perhaps a portend of what to expect in some other crisis- prone states, is the congress held in Odode-Idanre, the headquarters of Idanre Local Government Area, where the ruling party on Wednesday, February 18, 2026 conducted congresses across its 203 wards in the state. Clashes during APC ward congress left two dead, five injured, with police launching investigation. Earlier on Tuesday, suspected hoodlums disrupted a stakeholders’ meeting at the APC secretariat in Akure.One of those attacked during Wednesday’s violence was Raphael Adetimehin, younger brother of the party’s State Caretaker Chairman, Ade Adetimehin. His vehicle was reportedly set ablaze during the clash. Confirming the attack, Ade Adetimehin alleged that the assailants mistook his brother for him due to their close resemblance.

“They targeted my brother because they thought he was me. They shot at him and later attacked him with a cutlass. He is currently receiving medical attention,” he said. The APC chairman described the attack as politically motivated and called on the party’s national leadership and the President to intervene to prevent further escalation. A family source, however, claimed that Raphael and wo other individuals were killed during the violence. The identities of the additional victims were yet to be confirmed.

The Police Command in Ondo State at the weekend said it had arrested 13 suspects linked to the ward congress attack which claimed two lives. The command’s Spokesperson, DSP Abayomi Jimoh said the arrests followed a carefully coordinated, intelligence-led operation ordered by the state Commissioner of Police (CP) Adebowale Lawal. According to him, the arrest is part of the command’s decisive efforts to ensure that all perpetrators are identified and brought to justice. He said, “The attack resulted in the tragic loss of two lives, injuries to three persons, and the destruction of property. This prompted the CP to immediately direct an intensive intelligence-driven manhunt to track down all individuals connected to the violence.

“The suspects, all men are: Adewusi, 38; Dele, 28; Akinkurole, 38; Victor, 30; Abbas, 30; Michael, 35 and Jolojolo, 36; Ifedayo, 38; Olamilekan, 25; Emmanuel, 25; Sunday, 49; Michael, 55 and Monday, 25 years. He said the suspects are currently in police custody and have made useful statements which are aiding ongoing investigations.

“The command is diligently working to unravel the full circumstances surrounding the attack, identify any additional collaborators, and determine the specific roles played by each suspect,” he said. In another instance, the peaceful conduct in Kaduna State was marred by complaint of marginalisation by stakeholders of the Chikun and Kajuru Federal Constituency in the state at the weekend. They said they were disappointed that no representative from the constituency was included in the Kaduna State Organising Committee for the congresses.

According to Mr Samaila Leeman and Mr Cafra Caino, the omission raised questions about equity, inclusivity and fair representation within the party structure. Arguing that the federal constituency has a significant population and voting strength and has consistently supported the APC in previous elections, they stated that in spite of the constituency’s contributions to the party’s electoral successes, it was not represented in the Kaduna State Executive Council, adding that the current development could negatively affect the party’s fortunes if not addressed.

They alleged that critical political figures in Chikun Local Government Area, including former members of the House of Representatives and House of Assembly, former Commissioners, heads of agencies and former local governments Chairmen, were excluded from the constitution of both the local government and ward congress committees.

They described the situation as an aberration of established party norms and democratic practice, arguing that the highest-ranking political office holder in a local government area should ordinarily be entrusted with overseeing congress activities. The group warned that the alleged exclusion could alienate grassroots supporters and weaken party cohesion in the area. They, however, reaffirmed their commitment to the APC and called on the party’s national and state leadership to urgently review the situation and ensure adequate representation of Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency in all party structures.

“Inclusivity is the bedrock of any progressive political movement,” the statement added. Though the National Chairman of the Ward/LGA Congress Committee for Benue State, Dr Alwalu Ishiye, has commended party members for the peaceful, transparent, and orderly conduct of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ward congresses held across the 276 council wards in the 23 local government areas of the state, camps led Governor Alia, and Akume, held separate ward congresses.

However, the parallel exercises were peaceful as there were no cases of violence at the time of this report. Prior to the exercise, both camps claimed possession of the forthcoming ward congresses materials. The Alia and Akume camps emerged shortly after the 2023 elections resulting in the party having two chairmen. The governor’s camp is led by Chief Ben Omale, while Austin Agada leads the party backed by Akume’s camp. The Akume’s camp led by Austin Agada in a statement said the Congresses were non-elective as their executives will continue in office in accordance with the resolutions of the APC National Executive Committee (NEC). In Delta State, controversy erupted over the ward and local government congresses in the state.

While the committee which oversaw the congresses in Delta State applauded party members for the peaceful and orderly conduct of the exercise across the state, other party members claimed the exercise was manipulated amid other anti-party issues. Leaders of the Delta North APC Coalition for Equity alleged marginalisation of long-standing members from the process. The foundational chairman, Chief Alex Ikpeazu, and the acting Secretary-General, Ken-Chad Rafua, alongside leaders of the old APC across local governments in the zone, said they were excluded from important internal activities, including the drafting of consensus ward and LGA executive lists. But the State Publicity Secretary of APC, Valentine Onojeghuo, refuted the lack of transparency in the conduct of the ongoing ward congresses in Delta.

He emphasized that the ward congress process has so far been conducted in strict compliance with the party’s constitution and established guidelines. In Ethiope West Local Government, the violence that erupted during the LGA congress on Saturday almost claimed the life of former governor James Ibori’s daughter, Erthiataki Ibori-Suenu a member of the House of Representatives. The Local Government Chairman, Hon. Efe Omughoro appealed to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to intervene and restore peace in the area, adding that many members who sustain various injury from matchet and gun attack are still in hospital.

In Sokoto State, the party has successfully conducted its ward congresses across the 244 wards in the 23 local government areas of the state. The Chairman of the APC National Congress Committee for Sokoto State, Hon. Lawali Liman Kaura, disclosed this while expressing satisfaction with the exercise. Speaking after an inspection tour of some wards in the state, Hon. Kaura, alongside the Committee Secretary, Zubairu Muhammad Lawali, commended party members for the discipline and orderliness displayed throughout the process.

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