The Minister of Mines and Steel Development and All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant in Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, on Monday faulted the removal of the Ekiti State chairman of the party, Chief Jide Awe, by what he called “a section of the party,” urging them to rescind the decision for the sake of the party and democracy.
The Minister said APC remains a political party with a very rich democratic culture adding that removal of its elected executives, on whatever ground, must be in line with laid down procedures.
Dr Fayemi in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr Yinka Oyebode, said he would not support any attempt to subvert the rule of law within the party, hence he is opposed to the sacking of the Jide Awe-led executive regardless of the weight of the allegations, without recourse to the party’s laid down procedure.
He urged those desirous of a change in the leadership of the party in the state to wait till September when the party would hold its congresses for the election of new officers in Ekiti State.
“Anything short of this is not acceptable”, he said.
The statement reads: “The report of the alleged removal of Chief Jide Awe as the state chairman of our party is quite troubling, especially giving the method adopted by the aggrieved members.
“The aggrieved members had cited, among other reasons, Chief Awe’s perceived biased position in the current governorship primary exercise in the party, where he was accused of overtly supporting a particular aspirant as well as hobnobbing with the Governor Ayodele Fayose-led government.
“Regardless of the weighty nature of these allegations, removal of state executives in APC through a Gestapo style is not acceptable. In fact, it is condemnable.
“I, for one, cannot be part of this. Our party is built on democratic tenets and the rule of law. So, I urge all those who desire a change in the current leadership in the state to wait till September when the state congresses for the election of new set of officers would hold in Ekiti.”
The Minister also urged well-meaning members of the party to work for the unity of the various tendencies within the party ahead of the governorship election in the state.
“Regardless of the differences we might have, especially in the on going process of choosing the flag bearer of our party for the July 14 governorship election, we must unite in our efforts to chase out the incompetent and insensitive PDP–led administration. That we cannot afford to compromise.” He added.
The primary election held on Saturday to pick the party’s candidate in the July 14 governorship poll ended in fiasco as agents of some of the aspirants resorted to violence, forcing the exercise to be suspended indefinitely.
They alleged that the process was manipulated to favour Fayemi who was believed to be coasting home to victory.
As a result of the stalemate, the Governor of Nassarawa State, Tanko Al-Makura, who led the Ekiti primary election committee announced the suspension, after a meeting with all the aspirants and security agents, which lasted for about two hours behind closed door.
Meanwhile the party on Tuesday rescheduled the botched governorship primary to hold on May 11.
The publicity secretary of the party, Bolaji Abdullahi, made this known while addressing journalists at its headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday.
The election committee for the primary on Monday submitted its report.
About 33 aspirants including two former governors and three former senators are vying for the ticket of the APC.
Mr Abdullahi announced that the secretary of the election committee has also been removed.
After reviewing the report submitted by the election committee on Monday, the party said it had cancelled Saturday’s botched exercise and will hold a fresh one. The spokesperson said agents of aspirants identified to have disrupted the previous process are barred from further participating in whatever capacity.
However, all the aspirants will be allowed to participate, he said.
Other resolutions the party made are that agents’ tags will bear the names of the aspirants they represent; agents will no longer come in with their mobile phones, and aspirants will not be allowed to move around during the primary
The spokesperson said the decision to allow all the aspirants participate in the rescheduled primary is to give a level playing ground due to the time limit. But the party warned that all necessary action would be taken after the primary against those indicted in the disruption of the previous exercise.
“Perhaps, more importantly is that the exercise of Saturday is cancelled and would now be conducted this Friday, 11th May, 2018,” the party spokesperson stated.
“The existing primary election committee is maintained, except the secretary who will now be substituted.”
He said the secretary’s substitution, however, in no way indicted him of compromise.
“Virtually all aspirants complained that the secretary has a close relationship with one of their colleagues and so we decided to drop him in order to guard the integrity of the process and not because he was found to have compromised.
“All Identified unruly agents that participated in the suspended primary election of 5′” May 2018 are disqualified from participating in the rescheduled primary as agents,” he said
The agents disqualified are Ayodeji Omowaye, Rotimi Faleye, Kayode Afolabi, Oladele Ademola Samuel, Oyetunde Ojo, Akintade Olayisade and Temitope Adewumi.
“All agent tags must bear the name of aspirants they represent. All agents in the rescheduled primary election are hereby barred from coming to the voting arena with their mobile phones.
“Security agents from other states will be mobilised to secure the venue and officials in the rescheduled election. One person would be appointed subject to the consensus of all aspirants to assist persons with disability and illiterate voters. All aspirants must not leave their sitting position unless with the approval of the Primary Committee.
“All aspirants would be held vicariously liable for the conduct of their agents. Names of the following aspirants would now be written in the following order as stated below: Ajayi Olatunji Olowo and Olubunmi Kayode.
“The NWC condemns the disruption of the Primary of 5th May and resolved that all found culpable, directly or indirectly will be punished in accordance with the relevant provisions of the party constitution,” the spokesperson said.
The total cancellation of the last Saturday’s exercise was initially opposed by one of the leading aspirants, Kayode Fayemi.
Mr Fayemi, the current minster of solid minierals, said he was in the lead before the primary was disrupted and that the already counted votes from delegates in four local governments be maintained. He blamed other aspirants for the disruption.
However, other aspirants including a former governor, Segun Oni, accused the election committee of bias and working to favour Mr Fayemi.
About 22 of the aspirants signed a petition to the National Chairman of the party, John Odigie-Oyegun, as well as leaders of the party, stating fresh conditions for a repeat of the primary.
The petition addressed to the NWC, was also copied to President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and a national leader of the party, Bola Tinubu.
The petitioners alleged that some members of the NWC who were part of the organising committee of the primary, were glaringly biased and contributed to the violence that disrupted the primary.