By Ayodele Oni, Ekiti
Trouble is looming, very large, in the Ekiti State APC Chapter. If not contained, it is threatening to consume the party. APC is the ruling party in the state.
Stakeholders of the party, including a Presidential aide, have called on the national leadership of the party to urgently save the party from extinction, just as they flayed the purported suspension of former national deputy chairman of the party, Chief Segun Oni. Oni was, also, a former governor of the state.
The sad state of the party in the state, under the governorship of Governor Kayode Fayemi, was contained in an SOS message sent to President Mohammadu Buhari, copies of which were forwarded to the national chairman and national leader of APC.
Titled “A Call to Save APC in Ekiti state,” the stakeholders also appealed to the leaders of the party to call to order Governor Fayemi before he turns the party to his personal property.
Taking exception to the suspension of Oni, they said:
“As far as we know, Chief Segun Oni went to court on issues he raised against Dr. Fayemi’s eligibility to contest the primary election of the Party in the May 12, 2018 Ekiti State governorship primary election of the Party. He pursued his litigation up to the Supreme Court where judgment was eventually given striking out his case for being caught by the retrospective application of the provision of the Fourth alteration of the Constitution 1999 (as amended) which requires filing within 14 days after the primary election.
“This to us is the reason why allegations of anti-party activities are being raised against him. If this is so, it is unfortunate and it is necessary to put an end to it to the extent that it is an insulting and embarrassing step taken by misguided elements within the Party Executive in the State.
“Governor Fayemi whose hands can clearly be seen here, should realize that he needs to tread softly. Members of the Party are fully aware of the shenanigan going on within the Party and his government in Ekiti State. We are aware of the brazen monopolistic tendencies going on.
“Dr. Fayemi used his influence as Minister of the Federal Government to place his cronies and lackeys in Federal positions and when he became Governor, he recycled the same set of people into State positions to the exclusion of other tendencies within the Party in the State. As at now, several of his loyalists are holding two positions, one in the Federal, one in the State.
“We are aware of an ambassador that was given another Federal appointment on top of her ambassadorial posting!
As loyal and committed members of the Party, APC, including Chief Segun Oni, we all rallied together to ensure the victory of our Party in the July 2018 Governorship election, not minding the self-serving, monopolistic tendencies of Dr. Fayemi.
“For us the victory of the Party was far more important than any individual selfish behavior. It is noteworthy that APC won the election by only 19,338 votes. This is an average of mere 109 votes per ward! A mere 2,000 votes less, the election would have been declared inconclusive and re-run ordered!
“In the aftermath of the election, Dr. Fayemi and his clique put together the State Executive, the LGA Executives and the Ward Executives of the Party without any consultation with or consideration and inclusion of other interests.
“Even where nominations were made by other tendencies they were jettisoned as the present Deputy Governor was mandated to prepare their list of party Executives state-wide to the exclusion of others and with complete disregard for the principles of internal democracy.
“When the time came for the re-election of President Buhari, we all rallied together again for the Party. Even though a number of us had local grievances, we collectively refused to toe the rebellious path as was witnessed in Ondo, Ogun, Oyo
and Imo States. We recall with gratitude the role played by the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, who effectively mobilized the otherwise alienated leaders of the Party in the State.To our chagrin, Dr Fayemi egregiously continues to view our success in the State as if it was a result of his solo effort.
“Meanwhile, Dr. Fayemi and his clique have continued to run the Party as if it were a secret cult with all the rites of initiation and acceptance. They operate the party with a clique mentality. This is a threat to the future of the Party and it must be arrested now. A successful and winning Party needs to promote internal democracy, broaden its membership base, reach out to all and be inclusively accommodating to all those who share its goals and ideology.
“So far, the Fayemi approach to managing the Party in Ekiti has been more exclusive than inclusive. At this juncture we will like to put it on record that a large number of aspirants who paid for forms to contest both the National and State Assembly elections were not given forms because they were not his preference. While we pacified them in order to give the Party a chance of success in the elections, they have been ostracized and treated with disdain in the aftermath of the elections.
“We are therefore issuing an early signal to the Party and the public: APC as a Party faces existential threat in Ekiti State if current tendencies continue. We will continue to do our best to prevent this. But Governor Fayemi and his clique need to be called to order now before it is too late. We call on the Party at the National level to intervene and save the Party in Ekiti State.”
Those that signed the petition include Special Adviser, Political to the President, Sen. Babafemi Ojudu, Sen. Anthony Adeniyi, Hon. John Akintoye, Dr. Ife Arowosoge, Â Former Members House of Reps, Hon. Oyetunde Ojo and Otunba Ben Oguntuase, Â Former Member, House of Representatives.
