Ripples in Ekiti APC over Fayose’s visit to Oni

The recent visit by Governor Ayodele Fayose, of Ekiti State to the deputy national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Segun Oni, at his home in Ifaki-Ekiti in Ido/Osi Local Government Area of the state, has created another round of ripples in the Ekiti chapter of the party.

The State chapter of the APC claimed, on Tuesday, that Fayose’s unplanned visit to Oni, a former governor of the state, on Sunday, was an allegedly to “create atmosphere of distrust in the party ahead of 2018 governorship poll.”

The APC, through its acting state chairman Mrs. Kemi Olaleye, confirmed that Chief Oni “didn’t receive any prior notice about Fayose’s visit” and advised members of the party in the state not to .castigate the former governor unjustly over the matter.”

Olaleye stated this following anger which the visit was said to have created among the party faithful in the state.

Fayose had, on Sunday visited Oni, and explained that the visit was a routine courtesy visit to a leader in the state and had nothing political about it.

The governor had added that he was only showing respect to his host as a former governor and leader of the state.

But the APC members in the state felt differently and grew with mistrust, saying the visit was a plot to create a wedge among their membership in the state.

The acting chairman of the party, Mrs Olaleye,  who spoke at a meeting held at ward 09, Ado Ekiti capital city, on Tuesday, said she was with  ex-Governor Oni when Fayose paid the surprise visit.

According to her, “I have heard our members expressing anger over the visit. Please, I want to tell you that I was with Chief Oni when Governor Fayose came.

“It was Fayose’s Chief of Staff, Chief Dipo Anisulowo, that actually called and said he was paying our leader a visit. Not long after, we got a message that the governor and Anisulowo were around without prior notice.

“Even when the governor said he wanted to have a secret meeting with Oni, he objected, he told him to say whatever he wanted to say in our presence as party leaders and confidants.

“You know, 2018 is fast approaching and we have to be vigilant. Governor Fayose had said openly that he had started politics, and this might be part of the game to cause  distrust in our party.”

The APC in Ekiti State had also expressed anger early October when Governor Rauf Aregbesola, of Osun State came to celebrate Ekiti State at 29 with Fayose.

The party had said through a statement by its publicity secretary, Chief Taiwo Olatunbosun, in reaction to Aregbesola’s visit in October, that it was preposterous, an affront and an insult on Ekiti APC and its bets for Aregbesola to have visited the state at the time.