The Appeal Committee into the ward congresses of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Imo State has overruled Governor Rochas Okorocha and members of the House of Assembly.
It said congresses were held last Saturday in the state.
In a report to the National Working Committee (NWC) by chairman of the three-man committee, Senator Abubakar Tature, the committee said it received petitions from those not qualified to send complaints.
It added that none of those qualified to petition the committee on the election did.
But House of Assembly Speaker Acho Ihim, who led lawmakers to APCโs national secretariat, told reporters no congress took place in the state.
The Speaker said since there was no congress, there was nothing to petition against.
Okorocha had met President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to protest alleged malfeasance in the last two congresses and to demand cancellation.
The committee reportedly dismissed petitions by aggrieved stakeholders on the grounds they lacked merit.
Its report reads: โThat the congress committee, whose duty it was to conduct the congress election, affirmed that the election took place. That the state party chairman and his deputy affirmed that the elections were duly held in all 305 wards
โThat the persons who would have the right to petition over the conduct of the ward congress election are those qualified to contest the congress, having purchased the forms.
โThat the petitions were written by unqualified persons and, therefore, would be construed as lacking the locus standi/basis to bring in any petition and that the video evidence by the petitioner was an incident that took place in a private residence, which was not a ward congress voting venue.โ
