By Akinwale Kasali
Former All Progressive Congress, APC, stalwart and former Governor of Ekiti State, Segun Oni, says the ruling APC will suffer from the consequences of maligning his person.
Oni rejoined the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, which he had earlier left to join forces with APC after the 2015 general elections. He was a one term governor of Ekiti State under the flag of the PDP.
An angry Oni said that the Ekiti State Chapter of the APC will regret the barrage of attacks on him following his decision to return to the PDP.
The ex-governor, who was, also, the former National Vice Chairman of APC (South), took exception to the recent newspaper comment credited to the APC Chairman in Ekiti State, Paul Omotosho who described Oni as a nominal member of the party as not only reckless but unexpected.
In a statement issued in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, the Director General of Oni’s Political Organisation, Atunse Ekiti Movement, Dr Ife Arowosoge, said his Principal was disappointed and took exception to the comments made by the APC.
“Was it appropriate for Paul Omotoso to describe Oni, a former Governor, a foundation member of APC, and the very first Deputy National Chairman, who always stood in as Acting National Chairman whenever the Chairman was not around, as a nominal member of APC?
He wondered why Omotoso would accuse him of not being impactful as a Deputy National Chairman by not assisting people with contracts and appointments, saying the power of the office as spelt out in Article 14 (2) of the Constitution of APC does not include the award of contracts or lobbying for appointments.
“The same pomposity was demonstrated when Senator Opeyemi Bamidele was forced out of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, in 2013 and what was the result of the Fayemi’s 2014 governorship election? It was calamitous, disgraceful and shameful leading to a 16-0 loss. The same episode will repeat itself in 2022,” he vowed.
Oni said he decided to leave APC owing to Fayemi’s perceived abhorrence of his political followers and not for sefish pursuit.
“The nepotism and clannishness witnessed in government’s appointments into federal and state positions, the inhuman treatment meted out to all Atunse Ekiti members, and all people linked to Oni, the fact that due process was not followed in establishing party executives by not conducting congresses at the ward, local government and state levels forced us out of APC.”
Oni said Fayemi lost to Ayodele Fayose in that poll owing to alleged arrogance displayed by the APC against Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, who left the party.
“Added to that was the fact that appointments to government positions both at the Federal, State and Local Government levels were limited to the family members of Governor Fayemi and no member of Atunse Ekiti Movement was considered for any appointment, either at the Federal, State or Local Government level.
“Again, many members of Atunse Ekiti Movement are being threatened with expulsion and suspension and many had been suspended for phantom anti-party activities. This was responsible for why I left”, Omotoso said.
He, however, stated that no amount of blackmail would make him waiver on his resolve to restore sanity to Ekiti in 2022, by joining hands with the citizens to install a governor they can trust.
