Priscilla Ofunre, Ado-Ekiti
Leaders and executive members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Ado-Ekiti, Ward 8, in Ekiti State, have unanimously passed a vote of confidence on the Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Political Matters, Sen. Babafemi Ojudu.
Ado-Ekiti ward 8 is the ward of the state’s deputy governor, Chief Bisi Egbeyemi.
The party executive members, after their marathon meeting, on Wednesday, in Ado-Ekiti, maintained that the presidential aide has done nothing wrong to warrant any suspension, describing him as a ‘loyal and worthy’ party man who has contributed in no small measure to the development of the ruling party in the country.
Ojudu alongside Dr. Wole Oluyede, Hon. Oyetunde Ojo, Chief Akomolafe, Engr. Ayo Ajibade, Bunmi Ogunleye and Ben Oguntuase, on behalf of other aggrieved leaders of the party, are in court challenging the validity of the ward, local government and State Executives of the state chapter. The case filed at the Federal High Court, in Abuja, had twice been mentioned in court and adjourned for further hearing to July 6.
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Also, in an interview recently he accused Governor Fayemi of running the affairs of the party as his personal business, saying all internal mechanisms towards resolving all issue had been frustrated by the governor. He also alleged that Governor Fayemi has done little or nothing in the state since he was elected in 2018.
Ojudu’s ward chairman, Mr. Clement Afolabi, was said to have been allegedly invited last weekend with promise of a huge sums of money to begin the process of suspending the former senator from the party for criticising the administration of Governor Fayemi.
The crisis took a different dimension on Monday when the bags of rice distributed by Ojudu during the lockdown occasioned by the Coronavirus pandemic to the party executives in Ado-Ekiti were returned to his residence after three months of distribution.
However, reading the communiqué on behalf of the executives after the meeting, on Wednesday, chairman of the Ward, Mr. Afolabi, noted that no amount of intimidation and financial inducement from state leaders of the party would make them to suspend Ojudu, stressing that the survival of the party should remain the primary focus of all leaders.
The party chairman added that the executives aligned themselves with all the issues raised by Sen. Ojudu in the interview, calling on all stakeholders to adhere to the constitution of the party and practice the true tenet of democracy associated with the progressives.
According to him, “Senator Babafemi Ojudu, hailed from ward 8 and he is our ambassador and representative. He is very diligent, bold, hardworking and responsible son.
“There is no doubt he is a well recognised stakeholder in the party and in the community at large.
“Ojudu has committed no offence as such deserves no punishment or victimisation at all for merely expressing his displeasure over issues.
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“That on the basis of above we jointly pass a vote of confidence in him as a loyal party member.
“That the sustainability with survival as well as proper management of our party APC remain our focus and responsibilities which should on no circumstances be toyed with by any individuals.
“That the party’s constitution should be strictly adhered to without any alteration in the process of electing people into various positions.
“That we should practice true democracy in Ekiti the way it should be done by allowing people to choose their own representatives,” he said.
