As the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) plans to hold its national convention on Saturday, there are fears that parallel delegates from across the states may storm the Eagle Square in Abuja.

The APC had in May held congresses across the states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT); and in many places, two sets of executives emerged.

The states where factions of the party worked at cross-purposes include Kano, Kaduna, Lagos, Kwara, Delta, Rivers, Ondo, Zamfara, Sokoto, Enugu, Kogi, Bayelsa, Oyo, and Ebonyi with party members saying there were issues in no fewer than 24 states.

This development had heightened tension that both factions of the party would go to Abuja with their delegates to elect national officers who would steer the affairs of the party through the 2019 elections and beyond.

Though the National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, had soon after the state congress denied there was parallel congress, the situation actually exists in many states.

Pundits believe that the convention would either make or mar the APC, a party that had been battling with internal wrangling since it won the 2015 general elections.

“There is no such thing as parallel congress. The only recognised congresses are those organised by the congress committees charged by the party to organise such congresses,” Abdullahi had said in May.

Daily Trust gathered that there is the likelihood of two delegates going to Abuja from Kwara State. One would be led by Alhaji Isola Balogun Fulani who is loyal to Senate President Bukola Saraki. An opposing group in the party which held another state congress coordinated by Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, is also expected to be in Abuja.

There were similar dual congresses in Kaduna State with a faction blessed by Governor Ahmed El-Rufai and another by Senators Suleiman Hunkuyi and Shehu Sani. They may both go to Abuja with their delegates.

The situation is the same in Kano where the camps of Governor Abdullahi Ganduje (Gandujiyya) and Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kwankwasiyya) held different congresses and produced two sets of state executives.

In Zamfara, Governor Abdulaziz Yari has his own set of delegates even as Senator Kabiru Marafa had also led the formation of state executives who might claim to be the real APC at the Eagle Square.

The situation is the same in Sokoto State where Governor Aminu Tambuwal has his camp and set of delegates while the likes of Senator Abubakar Gada have also produced their delegates.

A similar thing happened in Delta State, where a group in APC loyal to Senator Ovie Omo-Agege held a state congress to elect a state working committee, while Olorogun O’tega Emerhor faction of the APC also produced its own set of delegates.

Two sets of delegates may also come to Abuja from Oyo State which also witnessed two congresses in May.

There was a faction loyal to the state governor and another loyal to the minister of Minister for Communications, Adebayo Shittu.

Two delegates would be expected from Kogi State, a faction loyal to Governor Yahaya Bello and another loyal to Alhaji Hadi Ametuo.

While a lot of effort had been by the APC leadership in the last two weeks to douse tension, it is still not clear how the convention would sail through. (Daily Trust)