APC flag:

By Akeem Abas

Chief Hillary Amodu, the APC Committee Chairman for the just concluded Local Government congress in Oyo State, has assured members that the results and reports were intact.

This is contained in a statement he personally signed and made available to newsmen on Monday in Ibadan.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Amodu was reacting to widespread allegation that he had absconded with the results of the congress.

Amodu and a serving senator were alleged to have absconded with the results, possibly to doctor or manipulate them.

Amodu, however, in the statement, said the allegation was untrue, unfounded and condemnable.

“I would like to use this medium to condemn the action of the sponsors of the write-up which has been found to contain spurious allegations, misleading information and complete falsehoods.

“I still hold a strong belief that such material could not have emanated from congress committee members, who I enjoyed good working relationship with throughout the period our assignment lasted,” he said.

He said that they were in the state as unbiased umpires, adding their mandate was to be fair to all parties and ensure strict adherence to the guidelines.

Amodu said that he left Ibadan on Sunday with the duly signed results and to the knowledge of all members of his team who later joined him in Abuja.

He said that they were all expected to submit both the results and reports of the exercise at the national secretariat.

“I can say it unequivocally that we were in the state as unbiased umpires. Our mandate was to be fair to all parties and ensure strict adherence to the guidelines.

“As the chairman of the committee, I was not in the state to do the bidding of any individual gladiator or group.

“I don’t know of any committee member who showed interest in any of the members or chieftains of Oyo APC as far as the conduct of the congress was concerned,” he said.

Amodu said copies of the results in his custody were in possession of the committee secretary and parties that took part in the congress.

He added that there was no way the results could be doctored or manipulated in favour of any individual or group.

“I only left for Abuja to meet up with the deadline set for my committee by the national secretariat of our party regarding the submission of congress results and reports,” he said.

Amodu assured APC members in the state that only results of the congress produced at the designated venues on Saturday would be submitted to the national secretariat for necessary authorisation.

“I want to assure all APC members in Oyo State that only the results of the congress produced at the designated venues on Saturday will be submitted to the national secretariat for necessary authorisation.

“It is only the leadership of the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) that has the power to announce it to the public afterwards,” he said.

He urged members and supporters of the APC in Oyo State to disregard the “wicked rumours“ being peddled around by those he suspected to be enemies of the party.

Amodu said that committee members were now in Abuja, adding the outcome of the congress would be made public in due course by the appropriate authorities