Fresh crisis hits Ondo APC
— 29th November 2017
From Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure
From Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure
A faction
of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State, comprising eminent
leaders yesterday passed a vote of confidence in the suspended former
chairman of the party, Mr. Isaac Kekemeke.
Kekemeke was suspended by the State
Working Committee (SWC) of the party following a division in the party
occasioned by the outcome of the last governorship primary election
which produced Governor Rotimi Akeredolu as the party’s candidate. The
ousted chairman, who was replaced by Mr. Ade Adetimehin, had since
vacated the party’s secretariat and a suit was instituted on his behalf
by some party’s members who felt his suspension was wrong.
However, some leaders of the party,
including its National Vice Chairman (South West), Chief Pius
Akinyelure, a senator representing Ondo North senatorial district, Prof.
Ajayi Borrofice and the Osun State Commissioner for Regional
Integration, Mr. Bola Ilori, rising from a stakeholders’ meeting of the
party in AKure, yesterday passed a vote of confidence in the leadership
of Kekemeke.
The APC leaders, who attended the
meeting, declared that Kekemeke remains the authentic chairman of the
party in the state, while they passed a vote of no confidence in
Adetimehin.
Also, the party leaders expressed support
for President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration and that of Governor
Akeredolu. They unanimously resolved to grant unconditional amnesty to
party members that expressed their grievances by contesting the 2016
governorship election under other political parties.
Speaking at the end of the meeting,
Kekemeke said: “We are conscious of the need to deliver more votes to
President Buhari more than we did in 2015. Although, we thank God that
we still won the 2016 governorship election but the huge reduction in
the votes scored by APC in the election has taught us the need to bring
everybody on board for the good of APC in Ondo state.”
“Therefore, all members that left the
party in annoyance or became less active in the party because of the
fallout of the last gubernatorial election are hereby invited to return
home to their party and are hereby granted unconditional amnesty with
full rights and privileges as obtained before their brief departure.
“We are specifically calling on Senator
Borroffice, Dr. Segun Abraham and Chief Olusola Oke to come out strong
for APC. Henceforth, our disagreements are now in the past and it is our
collective duty to build a vibrant party,” he said.
The party leaders also used the forum
which had more than 508 elders and leaders in attendance to express
belief in the leadership of the National Leader of the party, Asiwaju
Bola Tinubu and the South West Chairman, Chief Pius Akinyelure.