APC Congress: “Beginning of political mortuary”, says Senator Melaye as Oshiomhole emerges APC National chairman

The Lawmaker representing Kogi West Senatorial District, Senator Dino Melaye, on Saturday mocked his party, the All Progressives Congress, describing the national convention of the ruling party as a joke.

According to him in his posts on his Instagram page, the congress is the beginning of the “political obituary” of the party.

He also quoted from a song by the late Afrobeat legend, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, making a veiled reference to the APC as a bad party.

The posts read, “Happy to be away from the joke going on in Naija today (Saturday).

“Political obituary of APC activated. Egbekegbe na bad society…beast of no nation…egbekegbe…”

Melaye had recently relocated his seat from the APC section of the Senate chamber to that of the opposition and minority Peoples Democratic Party.

It could be recalled that the Chairman of the APC National Convention Planning Committee, Abubakar Badaru, who presided over the convention, announced that Adams Oshiomhole was the only person contesting the position of national chairman.

He said, “Adams Oshiomhole has been returned unopposed for the position of national chairman, there will be no election. So, I will ask you if you affirm him as chairman, you answer ‘affirm’ or say  ‘aye’ when I ask for affirmation.”

Badaru then asked the delegates if they would affirm Oshiomhole as the party’s national chairman and they all chorused “affirmed.” He then announced the former Edo State Governor as returned unopposed.

None of Oshiomhole’s former opponents was sighted near the stage when Badaru made the announcement.

Three persons namely: Prof. Osareimen Osunbor, Clement Ebri and Ibrahim Emokpai, who earlier expressed interest in contesting against Oshiomhole, pulled out of the race before the convention.

Meanwhile leader of the New Peoples Democratic Party bloc within the All Progressives Congress, Alhaji Kawu Baraje, has warned the APC leadership not to celebrate yet despite the fact that its convention went on successfully on Saturday.

Baraje, in a statement from his media office in Ilorin, said the foundation of the convention was already shaking.

He said the party was fully aware of many aggrieved party members and stakeholders.

Baraje noted that his group decided to attend the APC convention because his members wanted to demonstrate to the entire Nigerians, particularly their supporters, that they were still loyal to the party.

He said their attendance at the convention did not mean that all the group’s grievances stated in their letter had been addressed.

He lamented that the convention was held despite the fact that there were lawsuits in court against the party arising from parallel primaries in over 18 states of the federation.

He said, “We still believe that our loyalty should be demonstrated.

“That is why we attended the convention. The fact that we  attended the APC convention and the convention was progressing well, should not be mistaken for peace within the party.”