A Month To Ekiti Governorship Poll, Serious Crisis Rocks ADP

By Ayodele Oni

With the way things are going within one of the contending political parties in the June 18 Governorship election in Ekiti state, the party may go into extinction before the election.

Action Democratic Party, (ADP) in the past few days,  has experienced internal crisis which has led to its abandonment by the erstwhile Deputy Governorship candidate, Mr Idowu Afuye.

Only on Sunday, news of the suspension of the Ekiti State Chairman of the party, Kunle Abegunde, by the National Leadership dominated the social media.

The decision to suspend the Chairman was contained in a letter, dated 14th of May 2022 and signed by National Secretary of the party, Victor Fingesi.

It reads: “I am directed to inform you that you have been suspended as Chairman of the Action Democratic Party in Ekiti State with effect from 14th May, 2022

“This became necessary following preliminary investigations by a panel upon which the following findings were made :

“Insurbordination to the leadership of the party, by refusing to honour its invitation to the National Headquarters in Abuja to discuss the lingering issues confronting the party in Ekiti State, contrary to Articles 48:1 1, 48:2, 52:2/al, of the ADP Constitution.

“Attempt to conduct State Congress of the party outside the timetable approved by the

National Working Committee (NWC) without the authorisation to do so, contrary to the ADP Guidelines for Congresses and Articles 52:2 (a). tcl, (d) of the party Constitution.

“Your fallure to intimate the leadership of our great party of the purported defection of theb Ekti State ADP Deputy Governorship candidate, Comrade ldowu Afuye to the APC.

“Premised on the foregoing, you are hereby notified that you (ADEKUNLE ABEGUNDE) no longer have authority and mandate to represent or communicate on behalf of the ADP.

“In light of the above, you are hereby invited to face the disciplinary committee at the

National Headquarters in Abuja, on Wednesday, 18h May, 2022.”

It was gathered that worried by the developments within the party, some of its members, including the suspended Chairman, are already contemplating  defection to another party.

They blamed the development on the high handedness of the Governorship candidate of the party, Mrs Kemi Elebute – Halle, who they accuse of running the party as a personal business.

Investigations revealed that before her appearance on the political landscape of Ekiti state, ADP was not in the reckoning as it did not have any office in the state.

On her arrival and decision to contest for the Governorship, Elebute was reported to have personally put in place the structure of the party and made available funds to secure office apartment.

With this solo effort, the candidate is reported to be going around and telling members in the State that she owes none of them any allegiance.

Elebute, from the North Senatorial district, is the only female in the Governorship race in the state.

Among allegations levelled against her when he dumped the party, the former Deputy Governorship candidate alleged that Elebute was running the party as one man show.

Even with, or without, the present crisis rocking ADP in the state, the party is not among the serious ones which are working round the clock to win the Governorship.