10th Assembly: Ondo APC Chieftain slams Akeredolu over NWC criticism

Former Ambassador to Togo and a Chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo state, Ambassador Sola Iji, has lambasted the state governor, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, over his positions and criticism of the National Working Committee of the party on the zoning arrangements of the National Assembly leadership.

Iji condemned Akeredolu for faulting the NWC decision and supporting aggrieved aspirants who were disappointed and disfavoured by the zoning, saying Akeredolu’s action is tantamount to disrespecting, working and causing disaffection within the party.

He faulted the Ondo state governor’s positions and maintained that there is no need for controversy over the zoning of the leadership positions of the yet-to-be-inaugurated National Assembly as proposed by the NWC of the APC.

The former envoy said: “Akeredolu did not only openly criticize the NWC for taking such decision on zoning, the governor went ahead to reject the NWC decision, and commended those aspirants who were disappointed or disfavoured by the zoning for protesting and encouraged them to engage in an untowards insurrection against the party on account of the said decision on zoning.

“A highly placed and respected leader as the Executive Governor of Ondo State, should not be heard to make an outburst that is capable of oozing disparaging remarks about the leadership of our great party.

“As a matter of fact, such a matter should not be a subject of discussion on the pages of the newspapers. Rather, it should have been attended to pleasingly.

“In fact, the governor, as a leader of the Party in his own right, has an unimpeded access to the leadership of the party, including the National Chairman and other National leaders and members of the NWC, as well as the President-Elect, His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, with whom he ought to have had private discussions to articulate his misgivings about the NWC decision.

“Apart from his private access to the leadership of the NWC, His Excellency, the Governor, has a very close and known access to the National Secretary of the party, apart from the fact that Ondo State is being represented in the NWC by Barr. D. I. Kekemeke, the National Vice Chairman (Southwest), of the Party.

“In the circumstance, the governor acted out of disrespect to the constituted authority of the party, and the opinions so expressed in the Press Statement do not represent the position of leaders and members of the Party in Ondo State, and at best, are His Excellency’s personal opinion to which he is legitimately entitled”

According to Iji who maintained that “the NWC of APC enjoys the constitutional mandate to act on behalf of the NEC of the Party in taking decisions in between the NEC meetings. Importantly, the NWC is the highest administrative organ of APC which deserves the recognition and respect of members and leaders alike”

He, however, said the statement credited to Akeredolu should be seen as his personal opinion and does not represent the collective position of the leaders of the party in the state.