Alleged imposition of candidates for the Ekiti Council Election slated to hold on December 7 has deepened the crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress, Ekiti state chapter as protest arranged by aggrieved local government chairman aspirants hit the land of knowledge.
The leaders of the protest identified aa Mrs. Tosin Aluko and Tajudeen Gidado who are chairmanship aspirants stormed the Party Secretariat at about 9:30 am to express their grievances.
WITHIN NIGERIA learnt that over alleged security threat and rumours of violent disruption of electoral process in the primaries, the party suspended the party primaries in Ado Ikole and Ekiti East local government areas.
WITHIN NIGERIA gathered that the leader of the party in Ado Ekiti Council, Chief Bisi Egbeyemi, the Deputy Governor of the state and 35 others were alleged of picking Mrs. Omotunde Fajuyi against the wishes of other two aspirants.
According to reports, two aspirants faulted and rejected the consensus process that produced Fajuyi as the candidate, saying it was a flagrant violation of party’s constitution, which stipulates that there must be indirect primary, when consensus option fails.
They said the decision didn’t reflect the interest and free will of the party members, saying the principle of internal democracy should not be inhibited, but rather strengthened.
While reacting to the issue, the APC State Publicity Secretary, Hon Ade Ajayi, said the party was not interested in the imposition of candidates.
Ajayi also exonerated Governor Kayode Fayemi of complicity in the crises that dogged the primaries, warning that nobody should bring the governor into the controversial issue.
He said: “Some group of people came to protest here today and said they rejected the consensus option in Ado Ekiti. They were led by Mrs. Tosin Aluko and Mr. Tajudeen Gidado. They came with placards carrying inscription that they rejected imposition; that they wanted primaries. We have never contemplated imposition as a party.
“The party will look into their protest vis-a-vis the letter signed by the deputy governor and 35 leaders. You know that the deputy governor is the leader of the party in Ado Ekiti and you know what it means for him to have signed for consensus. The state exco will meet on the issue and take a position.
“We are not ready to impose anybody and nobody must bring the name of Governor Kayode Fayemi into this matter.”
Ajayi disclosed that the crisis would be resolved because intervention and reconciliation committees have been set-up to interface with the aggrieved aspirants on ways to resolve the crises in the three councils in regards to conduct of primaries.
He said the party took proactive measures by postponing the primaries in the three councils on Saturday upon realising that some hoodlums wanted to hijack the process and burn down some marked houses.
On the efforts being made to pacify the aggrieved candidates, the APC spokesman said: “We are getting representations from various communities, because we recognise the right of every individual to contest in our party without being deprived.
“We have invited leaders from Ikole, Ekiti East and Ado Ekiti; so all the issues are being attended to and it will be resolved amicably.”
