The internal crisis rocking the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) in Ekiti took a new dimension on Friday as some statutory members of State Executive Committee (SEC) suspended Governor Kayode Fayemi over alleged anti-party activities.
The SEC members alleged Fayemi worked against Edo APC candidate, Pastor Ize Iyamu and supported Governor Godwin Obaseki, who won the contest on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
The statutory members of the SEC also suspended the party’s chairman, Paul Omotosho and other executives, alleging they were products of the list hurriedly compiled through undemocratic means by Fayemi.
The suspension came barely 24 hours after the other faction 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 taken at an emergency meeting SEC meeting of the party on September 23, 2020.
The ruling APC has been battling with a fierce self-inflicted political storm for a long time.
The crisis defied spirited attempts for peace to reign with the party split into two factions.
One camp is led by 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 control of the state ahead of the 2022 gubernatorial poll.
The SEC members, in a communiqué on Friday, alleged Fayemi manipulated the congress that brought Omotoso and other members of the SWC into their respective offices while also using his position to work against the party in some elections.
Acting on the alleged infractions, the statutory members of SEC said: “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 recent concluded governorship election in Edo State which is contrary to the provisions of Article 21 (A) (ii) of the APC Constitution.’’
Signatories to the communiqué include: Senator Tony Adeniyi, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, Senator Dayo Adeyeye, former House of Representatives members Bimbo Daramola, Hon Robinson Ajiboye, Hon Oyetunji Ojo, former Ekiti Speaker, Hon. Adewale Omirin and Hon. Femi Adeleye.
According to the communiqué titled: “Re: Dr. Fayemi Anti-party Activities”, Adeniyi was appointed as SEC acting chairman owing to what they described as “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.”
It added: “After painstakingly reviewing the activities of some members of the APC in Ekiti State, we the authentic members of the party in the State and members of SEC per Section 12.8 of the APC Constitution being duly constituted members of the National Convention of the Party, rose from its meeting of the 23rd September 2020 with some far-reaching resolutions.
“That Dr 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.
“For five days prior to the Edo elections Governor Fayemi hosted Mr Femi Fani- Kayode in the government house in Ado Ekiti. It was here they perfected the coup against our party in Edo State.
“This is same Fani-Kayode who daily abuses President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. We have evidence of celebration by his aides in Ekiti Government House and on social media.
“We also recall his role in the gubernatorial election in Oyo State where he supported the PDP candidate to defeat the APC candidate. A second tranche of money he sent to Governor Makinde in the election was intercepted by soldiers.
“The Paul Omotosho led faction of the 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.
“Senator 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.”