Fresh crisis hits Ondo APC

From Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure

A faction of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State, comprising eminent leaders yesterday passed a vote of confidence in the suspended former chairman of the party, Mr. Isaac Kekemeke.

Kekemeke was suspended by the State Working Committee (SWC) of the party following a division in the party occasioned by the outcome of the last governorship primary election which produced Governor Rotimi Akeredolu as the party’s candidate. The ousted chairman, who was replaced by Mr. Ade Adetimehin, had since vacated the party’s secretariat and a suit was instituted on his behalf by some party’s members who felt his suspension was wrong.

However, some leaders of the party, including its National Vice Chairman (South West), Chief Pius Akinyelure, a senator representing Ondo North senatorial district, Prof. Ajayi Borrofice and the Osun State Commissioner for Regional Integration, Mr. Bola Ilori, rising from a stakeholders’ meeting of the party in AKure, yesterday passed a vote of confidence in the leadership of Kekemeke.

The APC leaders, who attended the meeting, declared that Kekemeke remains the authentic chairman of the party in the state, while they passed a vote of no confidence in Adetimehin.

Also, the party leaders expressed support for President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration and that of Governor Akeredolu. They unanimously resolved to grant unconditional amnesty to party members that expressed their grievances by contesting the 2016 governorship election under other political parties.

Speaking at the end of the meeting, Kekemeke said: “We are conscious of the need to deliver more votes to President Buhari more than we did in 2015. Although, we thank God that we still won the 2016 governorship election but the huge reduction in the votes scored by APC in the election has taught us the need to bring everybody on board for the good of APC in Ondo state.”

“Therefore, all members that left the party in annoyance or became less active in the party because of the fallout of the last gubernatorial election are hereby invited to return home to their party and are hereby granted unconditional amnesty with full rights and privileges as obtained before their brief departure.

“We are specifically calling on Senator Borroffice, Dr. Segun Abraham and Chief Olusola Oke to come out strong for APC. Henceforth, our disagreements are now in the past and it is our collective duty to build a vibrant party,” he said.

The party leaders also used the forum which had more than 508 elders and leaders in attendance to express belief in the leadership of the National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and the South West Chairman, Chief Pius Akinyelure.

However, the state Chairman and the Publicity Secretary of the party, Messrs Adetimehin and Abayomi Adesanya, could not be reached for their comments.