Two chairmen have emerged in Lokoja Local Government of Kogi State during the Local Government congress conducted by the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) today, Saturday.

Our reporter said that Alhaji Maikudi Bature and Alhaji Usman Mamanlafia emerged new factional chairmen at different venues where the congress held around Lokoja, the State Capital.

Alhaji Maikudi is said to be loyal to the state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello while Alhaji Usman has the backing of the embattled APC chairman in the State, Alhaji Haddy Ametuo.

The two congresses were held at Lokoja Local Government Hall, opposite Crowther Memorial College and St Luke’s Model Primary School Adankolo simultaneously.

The factional Chairman Maikudi Bature was elected by 248 delegates from across the ten Wards of the Local Government Area.

Haruna Isah, Chairman Congress Committee for the Local Government, said the twenty seven member local government executives emerged by affirmation and described the Congress as most peaceful ever.

Isah, who is an aide to the governor of Kogi State, also commended the orderly conduct of delegates, saying that the laid down rules by the party and INEC where duly followed.

In his remarks, Adoga Ibrahim, Special Adviser to the Kogi State Governor on Donor Agencies, said the APC members have spoken as one united family, saying that the party in Lokoja LGA is rancour free, and united in one purpose.

He charged the newly elected executives to use their emergence to move forward the party.

Also speaking, Hon Shiru Lawal, Administrator of Lokoja LGA, described the turnout of party members despite the rain as sign of good things to come for the party in the area.

The Administrator called on the newly inaugurated executives to reach out to others who are not in the fold, with a view to improving the chances of the party in future election.

In an acceptance speech, the newly elected factional Chairman, Bature Maikudi, says his emergence would not be taken for granted.

He further noted that his new position would spur him to meet with the challenges and expectations of the people of the local government area.

The other congress at St. Luke’s Model Primary School Adankolo, Lokoja, which produced Usman Mamanlafia as the new chairman of APC Lokoja Local Government, saw the emergence of Abubakar Nagogo Maiyaki as the new secretary.

The newly elected chairman pledged to carry along all segment of the party and urged those aggrieved to close ranks in the interest of the party. [myad]

The Peoples Democratic Party has said that its sole aim, together with Olusegun Obasanjo’s Coalition for Nigeria Movement that just fused into the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is to sack President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 election.

In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP explained that the thing it had in common with ADC is to make sure that President Buhari does not come back in 2019, adding that it will work together with the ADC and other opposition political parties to vote the President.

“We are all going to work together to remove President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019.

“Whether the group joins ADC or another party, we all have one thing in common, and that is the sacking of the President.

“We will all work together to remove President Buhari. So, Nigerians and members of our party should not worry about what happened to the group.” [myad]