Groups Within Ekiti APC Trade Words Over Election Of Party Executives

By Ayodele Oni

There is uneasy calm within the rank and file of the All Progressive Congress, (APC) in Ekiti state as the party prepares for election of officers into offices at ward, local and state chapters.

Just as other state chapters of the party have embraced Consensus arrangement to pick officers, Ekiti state APC is yet to adopt any process for the exercise.

The national care taker committee of the party had advised that effort should be made to adopt consensus arrangement in picking the party officers to prevent crisis.

Investigation revealed that two groups within the APC in Ekiti state have engaged in brickbats over the election of the party officers.

One of the groups, led by Senator Tony Adeniyi, has outrightly rejected the consensus arrangement, which it said was being foistered on members by another group loyal to Governor Kayode Fayemi.

The group, South West Agenda for Asiwaju 2023 (SWAGA) said the consensus arrangement being proposed by the National Caretaker Committee of the party, will not work in the state.

According to the group, consensus in Ekiti will not work as a result of some unilateral decisions already being taken by the state government and its caucus, with grave democratic consequences to an all embracing congress.

In a statement signed by the Ekiti State Chairman of SWAGA, Senator Tony Adeniyi, noted that the governor and his caucus in the Ekiti APC, has solely imposed an electoral body, just as delegates have been handpicked for the congresses without the input of several party stakeholders.

He claimed that the names of the delegates were already compiled with promise by government to pay for their electoral dues, adding that the APC in the state is polarized and only a direct primary can bring the party back on a stable foot.

Senator Adeniyi stressed that the APC in Ekiti got its body fractures with the taking over of the party affair by a group within the state chapter under the name ‘Tokan-tokan, to which the governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi belongs.

He noted that the splinter group, within the Ekiti APC, has dominated state affairs since the taking over of Dr Kayode Fayemi and has held down other party members by retaining its grip on their jugular.

However, another group loyal to Governor Fayemi and the present state executives of the party, JKF political movement, stated that the action by SWAGA was meant to destabilize APC in Ekiti state.

“The governor of the state is expected to be the leader of the party in his state. He should be allowed to manage the party in the best interest of its members and the common good of the majority of party members and not just for the benefit of a few members.

“The APC is well placed to win the next governorship election in Ekiti state if the likes of the Ekiti SWAGA chairman would not shake the table and throw spanner in the wheel of progress of the party.

“They should focus attention on the main objective of SWAGA, which is to get Asiwaju Tinubu elected as president in 2023.

“If Asiwaju Tinubu has stylishly rejected their effort to turn themselves to sectional splinter group within the fold of the national leader of the APC has been rejected, they shouldn’t take their frustration to the Ekiti APC with the aim of spoiling the party for Governor Fayemi.

“Whether or not we like it, the terminal date of the Fayemi administration in Ekiti state is well known. What should be of interest to all members of the APC now is how to ensure that the party continues to rule the state after October 15, 2022.

The statement, signed on behalf of JKF group by Mr Gbenga Ajenifuja further stated that “JKF Political Movement noted that the spurious allegation of SWAGA in its recent attacks on the Fayemi group were baseless and reckless.”

It pointed out that members of SWAGA are beginning to constitute themselves into an opposition group within the APC fold in Ekiti State.

“JKF Political Movement also accused Ekiti SWAGA members of taking cantankerous attitude against the mainstream of the party, as a way of demonstrating its relevance in the party.”