APC crises deepen in Ondo as aggrieved members move to stop Akeredolu’s 2nd term bid

Crises rocking All Progressive Congress (APC) in Ondo state are far from over as aggrieved members under the APC Unity Forum on Tuesday rejected moves by leaders of the party to reconcile warring factions which can as well boost the second term chances of governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu ahead of October election.

The group which held  its meeting  in akure and led by a former deputy governor, Alhaji Ali Olanusi as well as an governorship aspirant in 2016,Dr. Segun Abraham insisted on rejecting any plans to make Akeredolu’s second term a success.

ROVING REPORTERS correspondent reports that the forum in a meeting that lasted for almost 5 hours has in its agenda, the outcome of the February 1,2020 meeting held with  Akeredolu and other APC chieftains from the factions of aggrieved members and Akeredolu’s.

Also on the agenda was the need to restrategise ahead of October and the need to ventilate their grievances to the national leadership of the party with urgent need to replace Akeredolu with another Party member ahead of July primary election.

Having briefed members of the Unity forum of the outcome of February 1 meeting, members described formation of any reconciliation committee between them and Akeredolu as belated having been closed to governorship election.

They bared their minds on how they have been rejected ,sidelined and cheated by Akeredolu for over two years in government,saying formation of any reconciliation of advisory  committee would further compound their problem as such committees were part  of delays tactics by Akeredolu and his team.

The forum expressed their regret for supporting Akeredolu in 2016 and vowed that the four years in government was enough for him to return to his Chambers as he could not live up to expectations.

The  forum who described themselves as the authentic members of APC, insisted on producing Governorship candidate that would govern the state for the next four years.

At the meeting an aspirant ,Mr Bukola Adetula, a kinsman of Akeredolu expressed his intention to contest under the APC and asked members to rally round him.

Other members are expected to show their interests in subsequent meetings as revealed by Alhaji Olanusi.

The forum however reaffirmed  the stand and the outcome of the July 2019 Heritage Hotel Meeting presided over the National Leader of APC, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu where it was agreed that the Executive of APC from State to Ward be dissolved as a prelude to peace and precondition for any party primary in Ondo State.

The Forum has also issued a community at the end of its meeting :

COMMUNIQUE ADOPTED AT THE END OF ONDO STATE APC UNITY FORUM MEETING HELD ON 11TH FEBRUARY, 2020 AT AKURE, ONDO STATE.

Whereas the Unity Forum of All Progressives Congress of Ondo State Chapter met today the 11th day of February, 2020 at Akure the Ondo State capital and reviewed the State of the party in Ondo State and after the review came out with the following communiqué at the end of the meeting:

That the meeting reviewed the activities of the party in Ondo State and was left with no choice than to condemn the way and manner that the illegal party Executive in the State has been running the affairs of the party in the State.

That the Unity Forum condemn the setting up of an Advisory Council in APC Ondo State as the composition of the council did not reflect the real membership spread of the party in Ondo State but the “yes men” and cabinet members of the Governor of Ondo State except in one or two Local Governments.

The Meeting reviewed the replacement of the Senate President with His Excellency Chief Bisi Akande as the Chairman of APC National Reconciliation Committee and pass vote of no confidence on Baba Akande as the Chairman of the Committee.

This is because the said Chief Bisi Akande is on the pay roll of Ondo State Governor and Baba was part of the reconciliation committee that met with the party Leadership in Ondo State in July, 2019 at Heritage Hotel Akure where it was agreed that the Party Executive in Ondo State be dissolved but up till this moment, the Governor through some of our Leaders have been blocking the dissolution that was jointly agreed on in the presence of Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu our National Leader, His Excellency Aremo Segun Osoba, Chief Bisi Akande, Chief Pius Akinyelure, His Excellency Dr. Kayode Fayemi the Governor of Ekiti State and Chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum and Pastor Oluwajana the South West Chairman of All Progressives Congress.

That the meeting viewed the Local Government Election scheduled for April 2020 and what the Party in Ondo State under Mr. Adetimehin has been doing with regard to the said election and came to the conclusion that it is not in the best interest of our party to go ahead with the said election as scheduled.

The meeting condemn in strong terms the activities of the said Mr Adetimehin and his State Executive viz a viz the election. The meeting viewed the whole electoral process as charade, an aberration, contraption and complete departure from what APC stands for; its principle and philosophy both at National level and in Ondo State.

The Unity Forum wishes to let the whole World know that even though it is made up of over 80% of the party members in Ondo State, neither the Governor nor the so called APC Chairman in the State carried the members along about the proposed Local Government Election.

That the meeting is aware that Mr. Adetimehin led Exco sold Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms to over 1000 people for Counsellorship seats at 120,000 Naira per person and over 100 people for Chairmanship seats at the rate of 650,000 Naira per person only to come out with an already prepared list of 203 Counsellorship seats and 18 Chairmanship seats through imposition that they criminally code-named and labeled as consensus which is now generating heat in the party contrary to APC Constitution.

That the meeting condemns in totality the said forthcoming Local Government Election and make bold to say that it is only Team Aketi that is organizing Local Government Election for itself and its few followers and not APC Ondo State.

We hereby call on Adetimehin to refund the monies collected from innocent APC members that paid but were denied to participate.

The Unity Forum for the umpteenth time at the meeting of today reaffirms the stand and the outcome of the July 2019 Heritage Hotel Meeting presided over by our National Leader Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu where it was agreed that the Executive of APC from State to Ward be dissolved as a prelude to peace and precondition for any party primary in Ondo State.

10.The meeting called on our Party Leadership at the National Level to do justice first to the party in Ondo State instead of searching for peace, this is because if justice is done, peace will naturally return as Peace without justice is like a ‘Peace of the grave yard’.

11.Lastly, the meeting called on all Party members and followers in Ondo State to be steadfast; continue to stand with the party and also continue to vote the party in all future elections as it is sure that light will come after this darkness.

Long live APC, Long live Ondo State, Long live Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Signed
HE, ALH. ALI OLANUSI
LEADER, APC ONDO STATE UNITY FORUM.

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