Priscilla Ofunre, Ado -Ekiti
The All Progressives Congress (APC), Ekiti State has, again, restated that the suspension of former governor of the state, Segun Oni, still remains in spite of action being taken by his loyalists to cause confusion.
The party insisted that Oni was duly and legally suspended by the party executives at his Ward in Ifaki ward II in Ido/Osi Local Government Area of the state for alleged anti-party activities.
Oni was, on May 1, 2019, suspended by party Executive for allegedly committing offences deemed to run contrary to the provisions of the party’s constitution.
However, Oni’s offence was not mentioned, but was widely believed that he was being punished for taking Governor Kayode Fayemi to court over his emergence as the candidate of the APC in the May 12, 2018, primary of the party.
Oni was of the view that Governor Fayemi was not qualified to have stood for the primary, having failed to resign as a minister 30 days before the primary going by party’s constitution.
Following his suspension, a group of elders in Ifaki Ward II condemned the step and said it violated the party’s laid down rules.
In a statement by the party’s Ward executive and leaders, on Wednesday, they described those condemning the suspension as ‘rebels’ who had earlier been denied opportunity to hijack the party.
The statement affirming Oni’s suspension was signed by the Ward chairman, Shina Akinloye and other leaders including, Femi Olanrewaju, Sule Rasaq, Suleiman Olatunji and Tunde Olanrewaju.
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They insisted that the elders’ council under which Oni’s loyalists hid to vitiate the process leading to the former governor’s suspension was unknown to the party’s constitution.
“This is the handiwork of miscreants , who are trying to cause confusion and misunderstanding in our party by misinforming the public on this matter.”
“The public must disregard this elders’ council, because they are alien to our party. The due process was followed, because former governor Oni was duly invited and he failed to appear within the time the party mandated him to do so for fair hearing.”
“The authentic party executive did the suspension after following due process.”
“APC, as a responsible political party is a well structured entity with established procedures at all levels that deal with dispute and protests within our party.”
“The faceless group failed to follow due process in airing their grievances, they instead used the media.”
“The APC ward executive hereby restate that Governor Segun Oni’s suspension from the party remains in effect and it will remain until his attitudes comply with party’s rules and constitution, binding all members regardless of status , influence and position”.