APC Congress: Ondo lawmaker, group accuse Akeredolu of imposition

The lawmaker representing the Ifedore / Idanre federal constituency, at the House of Representatives, Hon. Bamidele Baderinwa, on Thursday, alleged the  Ondo state governor, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, of scheming to impose candidates at the ward congress of the All Progressives Congress (APC) holding on Saturday.

Also, some interest groups within the state APC said the governor and the Acting Chairman of the party in the state, Mr Ade Adetimehin has concluded arrangements to disenfranchise some members of the party in order to pave the way for their anointed candidates at the forthcoming ward congress.

Speaking with journalists in Akure, Ondo state capital, Baderinwa, said that the forthcoming congress must go in line with the constitution of the party, saying any plan to scuttle the democratic process of the Congress would be rejected by members of the party in Ondo state.

He said ” This is our party, nobody can send us out, we built this party together, so any plan from any quarter to disrupt due process in the Saturday congress will be rejected”

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Also speaking,  a leader of one of the interest groups and Director-General of Olusegun Abraham Support group, Mr. Kunle Eko-Davies, alleged some leaders of the party in the state of hoarding the forms to allow only their anointed candidates to obtain the forms and making the forms unavailable to many members of the party who are not in their camp

Eko-Davies said, “they want to prevent members from voting. This is not in the best interest of our party. This is not in the best interest of democratic practices and due process. This is unknown to our extant APC constitution and it will not happen in Ondo State, God willing”

” We wish to inform all our loyal and party faithful that the nomination forms for the ward congress scheduled to hold on Saturday, 5th of May, 2018 arrived Ondo State Secretariat, Oyemekun Road, Akure, yesterday, 2nd of May, 2018 and all Ward Executive candidates who intend to contest for Ward Executive Committee are enjoyed to obtain there nomination forms from the party secretariat, accordingly.

But the Chairman of the party, Mr Ade Adetimehin, while reacting to the allegation described it as not false but a calculated attempt to cause disaffection within the party.

He denied the allegation and pledged that the party would strictly follow the party constitution on the election,  saying that those who were insinuating foul play in the Saturday congress were not members of the party.

Adetimehin said ” I don’t know where they get their information from but I can tell you that it is all falsehood. They should come out with their fact, they are saying all these just to cause confusion in the party ahead of the Congress.  But all their plans will fail.

” Our governor is a person who believes in the rule of law, so he can never involve in such acts, and also he has never interfered in the activities of the party. I also want you to know that those that are talking are not members of the party, they are the ones that worked for another party at the last election,  so just want to be causing confusion in the party”