Priscilla Ofunre, Ado-Ekiti
The All Progressives Congress (APC), on Wednesday, slammed a former governor of Ekiti State, Segun Oni, with indefinite suspension over alleged anti-party conduct which has been in connection with his challenging Governor Kayode Fayemi’s eligibility for the July 14, gubernatorial poll.
In a letter dated May 1, 2019, and addressed to Oni by the party, the APC said it took the action over failure of the party chieftain to appear before the ward executive to clear the allegations.
The letter was signed by the Chairman and Secretary of Ifaki Ward II, Shina Akinloye and Ogunyemi Taiwo, respectively, and 24 other executive members in the Ward.
The APC Executive in Ido/Osi Local Government Area through its Assistant Financial Secretary and Assistant Organising Secretary, Messrs A. Suleiman and Olanrewaju Olamope signed, respectively .
Apart from being a former governor, Oni also served as the Deputy National Chairman (South) of the party under the tenure of Chief John Oyegun.
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The letter titled: ‘Suspension From All Progressives Congress Ward II, Ifaki Ekiti’ read, “Subject to Article 21 Subsections I, II and X of the APC constitution 2014 as amended, we undersigned executive members of the APC hereby suspend you indefinitely from our great party, based on your refusal to honour our invitation for investigation and fact finding into the allegation of anti-party activities leveled against your person by the members of our party.
“We are by the copy of this letter informing both the local government and state working committee of the party for necessary information and action.”
The party had, in a letter dated April 24, 2019, and signed by the Ward Executive invited Oni to appear before a panel.
The letter reads, “We the executive members of the APC in Ifaki Ward II, hereby request your presence at the Ilero town hall, Ilogbe, Ifaki Ekiti to clear air about the allegations by members of the APC in your ward.”
“Kindly indicate by informing the APC chairman the convenient time and date to appear before members within the next seven days of the reception of this letter.”
The letter of invitation was received on Oni’s behalf by one Segun Adetunji on April 25, 2019.
Oni had gone to court after the May 26, 2018, APC governorship primary to challenge Governor Kayode Fayemi’s eligibility to participate in the election.
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Oni said going by the Constitution of the party, Fayemi, being a Minister in the cabinet of President Muhammadu Buhari, ought to resign 30 days before the primary.
Fayemi resigned in June, 2018, after the primary had been held.
He later won the July 14 governorship election, by defeating the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), Prof Kolapo Olusola.
But the supreme court in its judgement dismissed Oni’s suit for lack of merit, saying Oni didn’t file his petition in record time.
Though, Fayemi in his reaction to the court verdict spread olive branch to Oni, with a promise to work with him to move the party forward.
But some party members were said to have insisted Oni needed to be punished for disrespecting the party, by declining the Senatorial ticket and went to court to upturn Fayemi’s victory.