Imo APC ward congress postponed amidst youth protest

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There was a protest in Owerri, Imo state on Saturday, as All Progressives Congress’ Local Government Areas congresses could not take place.

APC youths, numbering over 2000, barricaded major roads in Owerri, causing traffic gridlock in the state capital for hours.

This is even as the protesting youths stormed the residence of the national Organizing secretary of the party, Senator Osita Izunna, demanding his prosecution.

It took a police detachment from the state police command, to persuade the embittered youths to leave the major roads.

The leader of the youths, Jeff Nwoha, who spoke to journalists at Government roundabout, where they camped for hours, urged the national working committee of the party to discipline the members of the party in the state who had “been causing troubles in the party”.

He urged the leadership of the party to fix a new date for the conduct of the botched ward congress of the party in the state.

According to Nwoha, “We want to join president Muhammadu Buhari to fight corruption. We demand that all those who tried to rig the botched ward congress in Imo state be disciplined.

The leadership of the party should discipline those who stole the sensitive materials during the botched ward congress in Imo state.

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There was no ward congress in Imo state, we, therefore, urge the party leadership to announce a date for the conduct of a fresh ward congress in Imo state.”

The APC state publicity secretary, Nwabueze Oguchienti, said that the protesting youths should stop stampeding the party.

The APC spokesperson said that “congresses are entirely a party affair. The protesting youths should allow us to manage the crisis and reposition the party to winning ways.”

He confirmed to our correspondent that the LGA congress going on nationwide had been postponed in the state.

 

Posted by Juliet Ekwebelam (Punch)