Hundreds of members of the All Progressives Congress in Lagos on Tuesday thronged the party secretariat as the ward congresses appeal committee began sitting.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the committee set up to treat complaints arising from the congresses entertained petitions from Lagos West and Central zones at the sitting amidst heavy security.
A horde of party members in areas like Badagry, Oshodi, Amuwo Odofin, Alimosho, Imota, Ayobo and others were led by their respective leaders to either submit petitions to the committee or defend petitions against them.
A member of the House of Representatives, Ayo Joseph, was sighted with some aggrieved members of the party in his Apapa constiuency.
Also, Muslim Folami, the State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy affairs and a member of the state assembly, Gbolahan Yishawu, were seen with some party members at the venue of the sitting.
Some council chairmen including Valentine Braimah of Amuwo Odofin, Jelili Sulaiman of Alimosho, and Shakiru Yusuf of Ayobo/Ipaja were also seen resolving issues with some party members at the venue of the sitting.
However, the political tension in Amuwo Odofin lately played out at the venue as members loyal to Braimoh, the council chairman and a former chairman of the council, Ayo Adewale clashed at the venue.
The fracas, between the two feuding camps lasted for about 45 minutes and left one Oluwasegun Adekoya, a supporter of Adewale, seriously injured.
An ambulance from the state government later arrived at the scene to treat the victim who was covered with blood from deep cuts on his head and right arm.
Adekoya, who was an aspirant in the last congress, told NAN that he was attacked for no just cause.
He said: “I was going on my own when supporters of the council chairman pounced on me, saying I disrespected a chieftain of the party, Risikat Adegeye, who belongs to Braimoh’s camp.
“They tore my clothes and attacked some people around me. They gave me these deep cuts on my head and you could see blood all over me.
“Before now, they had persecuted me, labelling me a criminal along with supporters of Adewale. I am no more safe.”
Adekoya said he came to protest the ward excecutive list in Ward C in Amuwo Odofin.
He said the congress in the ward was disrupted by hoodlums, adding whatever names came out of the congress were manipulated.
Reacting, Adegeye, a former of member of the state House of Assembly, described the incident as unfortunate.
She accused party members in the Adewale camp of being responsible for the problem, saying they brought the loyalty war to the venue of the sitting.
Adegeye said: “We are here for serious business. They brought a petition against us and the chairman and we are here to defend ourselves.
“But some people want to show they are loyal to somebody and that was what caused the problem. These people have been the problem in Amuwo Odofin.”
She said the congresses in the area were generally peaceful and that some people in the area were just all out to cause trouble.
Meanwhile, a member of the appeal committee told NAN the team would do its work without let or hinderance.
The member, who pleaded anonymity, said every petition would be considered and treated based on merit.
He said: “Our job here is to look at the issues at the last congress and address them.
“We are going to do our job without let or hindrance.”
He said the committee had received more than 100 petitions on the congress, and they were being given the right attention.
NAN reports that the sitting continues on Wednesday as the committee entertains petitions from Lagos East Zone.
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