APC postpones LG congress in Imo as hoodlums torch secretariat

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress APC), Chief John Odigie- Oyegun, yesterday confirmed the postponement of today’s local government areas congress in Imo State.

He made the confirmation with one of our correspondents yesterday as hoodlums torched the state secretariat of the party in what was thought to be a continuation of the crisis that erupted during last week’s ward congress.

The postponement of today’s LG congress in the state is said to have been done pending the receipt of the Appeal Committee’s report on the Ward Congress conducted in the state.

Imo State governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, was said to have met with Chief Odigie-Oyegun and other members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) where the decision was reached.

According to the National Chairman, a new date for the LG congress will be announced in due course.

When contacted at about 9 pm last night, he said: “Yes, the party has shifted the local government congress in Imo pending the report of the Appeal Committee.”

Yesterday’s fire affected only the interior of the party’s secretariat, burning many official files and other documents.

It appeared the fire brigade was not contacted to salvage the situation as fire fighters were not seen around the area when The Nation got to the scene last night.

People only gathered far off to watch smoke billow from the building.

Party Chairman, Hilary Eke, confirmed the incident.

He said the unidentified hoodlums attacked the secretariat at about 6.30 pm.

He said he had “already petitioned the inspector General of Police over the attack on the secretariat the other Saturday.”

The building was first vandalized last Saturday by thugs during the botched ward congress.

Eke said his duty “is to report to the police and the police have the duty to investigate.”

The party in the state has been embroiled in crisis over alleged hijacking of sensitive materials for the ward congresses by a party official.