The crisis rocking the Ekiti state chapter of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) took a dramatic turn on Friday as factional executives of the party announced the suspension of the state governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi over alleged anti-party activities.
It will be recalled that the party had on Thursday suspended eleven leaders of the party, including presidential aide, Senator Babafemi Ojudu for alleged disobedience on withdrawal of court case against the party.
However, on Friday the factional executives led by Senator Tony Adeniyi said that the governor has violated the provision of the party constitution by working against the interest of the APC in the just concluded governorship election in Edo State and supported the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party Governor Godwin Obaseki.
He was accused of hosting former Minister of Aviation and chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Femi Fani-Kayode in Ekiti for days before the Edo poll, ” where they perfected the coup against our party in Edo State.”
Other signatories to the communique include Senator Ojudu, Senator Dayo Adeyeye, Honourable Bimbo Daramola, Hon Robinson Ajiboye, Hon Oyetunde Ojo, Hon Adewale Omirin and Hon Femi Adeleye
The faction in a communique released after its meeting said that Fayemi has polarised the party in the state and that they are out to salvage party from destruction.
According to them, ” That Dr Kayode Fayemi, the Executive Governor of Ekiti State is hereby suspended from the Party in view of his numerous anti-Party activities especially his role in the recently concluded governorship election in Edo State which is contrary to the provisions of Article 21 (A) (ii) of the APC Constitution.
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” For five days prior to the Edo elections, Gov Fayemi hosted PDP big wig Mr Femi Fani- Kayode in the government house in Ado Ekiti in the run-up to the Edo elections. It was here they perfected the coup against our party in Edo State. This is the same Fani-Kayode who daily abuses President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, the APC as a party as well a vital section of our country. We have evidence of that meeting.
” Fani-Kayode specifically said he has gone on his tour as part of an effort between him and Fayemi to build a cross-party alliance and few hours after leaving Ekiti he fired a shot at Asiwaju Tinubu.”
The splinter APC group also announced that a faction of the executives led by Paul Omotosho should stop parading themselves as party’s executives, describing them as illegal party executives.
” That the Paul Omotosho led faction of APC Executive in the State is hereby declared illegal and suspended from the Party for failure to emerge in accordance with the Constitution of the Party.
” That Paul Omotoso and his co-travellers’ refusal to respect court proceedings in which they are not only joined but appeared in court through the proceedings but defiantly disrespected the court contrary to the hallowed decision of the Supreme Court in OJUKWU vs GOVERNOR OF LAGOS STATE
” That Paul Omotosho faction of the executive should desist from parading themselves as the Executive Members of the Party in the State and that the Nigerian Police and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the general public should take note.”
On the reason for electing Senator Adeniyi as acting chairman, they said, “That Senator Tony Adeniyi, as a statutory member of the SEC going by our party’s constitution, was elected by all members attending as the Acting Chairman of the State Executive Committee in the absence of direction or directive from the National Body. He is as such the only one thus capable to call the SEC meeting as duly required by the constitution from henceforth.”
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