The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State has suspended all executive officers of the wards in Igalamela/Odolu Local Government Area of Kogi State for alleged anti-party activities. According to reports, the former Deputy National Publicity Secretary and member of the National Working Committee of the APC, Hon Murtala Yakubu Ajaka, hails from this area.
According to the statement released on Saturday and signed by Kogi APC State Secretary, Joshua Onoja, financial inducement was cited as one of the reasons for the officers’ suspension. They were accused of trying to weaken the party in the state.
The statement reads, “The Kogi State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress has received disturbing reports of gross violation of the constitution of the party by ward and local government executives of the party, who ordinarily should be the custodian of the sanctity of our party’s constitution. Allegations of anti-party activities and financial inducement to weaken the party have been established as some executives of the party are under very serious investigations.”
The party intends to constitute a caretaker committee immediately to oversee the affairs of the party in the council affected by the suspension. The sacked officers were also directed to hand over all party materials in their possession to the State Secretariat in Lokoja and were warned against parading themselves as executives.
The statement added, “Caretaker Committees will be immediately set up to run the affairs of the party, pending the full report of the investigative committee. Officials of the party from the Wards to the Local Government level in Igalamela/Odolu Local Government Area are hereby directed to submit party materials in their possession to the State Secretariat in Lokoja and seizure forthwith to operate as executives with effect from 19th May, 2023.”
This suspension highlights the crisis in the ruling All Progressives Congress in Nigeria, which has been dealing with issues in several states ahead of the 2023 general elections.
