Awoniy-led Peace Committee Meets APC National Officer Meseko in Abuja, Outlines Key Party Grievances

A committee set up to reconcile feuding factions of the ruling All Progressives Congress in Kogi State held a consultative meeting Wednesday with a senior national party officer in Abuja, as it continues a peace mission aimed at restoring unity in the state chapter.

The Kogi State Peace and Reconciliation Committee visited Hon. Durosinmi Meseko, the APC’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary, at his residence in the federal capital. The committee is chaired by Arc. Yomi Awoniyi, a former deputy governor of the state.

Opening the meeting, Awoniyi said the committee had so far engaged 52 prominent indigenes of the state in its ongoing consultations.

He said the grievances raised by aggrieved stakeholders have followed a recurring pattern. They include disputes over the conduct of party primaries, dissatisfaction with how the party rewards its members, and a perception that political appointments have been lopsided. Stakeholders have also complained of an unfair spread of development projects and have called for a resolution of the leadership friction between Hon James Faleke and Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, he said.

Meseko welcomed the committee’s work and commended Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo for setting it up. He described the move as a visionary step that reflected exemplary leadership and a deep commitment to lasting peace.

Meseko told party leaders and stakeholders at the meeting that durable unity in the state must rest on equity, fairness and balanced inclusion across Kogi’s three senatorial districts, so that every citizen feels a sense of belonging.

Warning that “a house divided against itself cannot stand,” he urged party members to set aside personal ambitions and temporary grievances in favor of full reconciliation. He said electoral victory would remain out of reach as long as the party was riven by internal friction, and he called on delegates and stakeholders to settle contentious issues constructively so the party could present a united front.

The APC official also cautioned political leaders against heeding people who trade in falsehood, saying dishonesty breeds distrust and undermines collective progress. He proposed that party leaders make clear public pronouncements assuring those who feel marginalized of fairness, justice and equity.

Both sides stressed the need for continuous and robust dialogue among party leaders so that grievances can be addressed before they escalate.

The committee said all views and recommendations raised during the consultation would be captured in the final report it submits at the end of its assignment.

Other members of the committee delegation at the meeting included DCP Adejoh Yusuf (retd.), Arc. Mohammed Sule, Alh. Ahmodu Abubakar Sidiq, Pharm. Jamiu Asuku and Mr. Bode Ogunmola, along with other party leaders.