The Ekiti State Executive Committee of All Progressives Congress, APC, has suspended Governor Kayode Fayemi.
A statement by the party on Friday said the governor was suspended due to “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.]
APC said five days before the Edo election, Fayemi hosted Mr. Femi Fani- Kayode, a Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, chieftain, in Ado Ekiti and planned a coup against Edo APC.
A second allegation against Governor Fayemi was that he played a role in the governorship election in Oyo State and supported the PDP candidate to defeat the APC candidate.
The statutory members of the SEC also imposed sanction on the party chairman, Paul Omotosho and other executives by suspending them.
They alleged they were products of the list hurriedly compiled through undemocratic means by Fayemi.
The suspension came barely 24 hours after the party suspended a presidential aide, Senator Babafemi Ojudu and 10 others following report of the Patrick Ajigbolamu-led eight-man disciplinary committee set up to probe allegations of anti-party activities levelled against them.
The decision suspending Fayemi and all the state Working Committee was carried out at an emergency meeting of the State Executive Committee of the party September 23.
Signatories to the statement include: Senator Tony Adeniyi, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, Senator Dayo Adeyeye, former House of Representatives members Bimbo Daramola, Hon Robinson Ajiboye, Hon Oyetunji Ojo, former Speaker Ekiti State House of Assembly, Hon. Adewale Omirin and Hon. Femi Adeleye.
According to the statement titled: “Re: Dr. Fayemi Anti-party Activities”, Senator Adeniyi was appointed as the SEC acting
chairman owing to what they described as the “absence of direction from the National Body” and was adjudged as “the only one thus capable to call the SEC meeting as duly required by the constitution”.
The ruling APC has been wallowing in a fierce self-inflicted political storm for a long time. The crisis has inexplicably defied spirited attempts made to ensure that peace reigns with the party split into two factions; one camp is led by Governor Kayode Fayemi, while the other is led by Senator Ojudu.
The intense political battle may not be unconnected with a subtle but fierce struggle among its leading chieftains, for the control of the state ahead of the 2022 gubernatorial poll.