In what could be described as a sharp deviance to the calls by the state leadership of the party, the leaders and executives 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, Senator Babafemi Ojudu.
Ado-Ekiti ward 8 is the ward of the state deputy governor, Chief Bisi Egbeyemi.
The party executives after its marathon meeting on Wednesday in Ado-Ekiti, the State capital 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 measures 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.
Also, in an interview recently, he accused the state governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi of running the affairs of the party as his personal business, saying all internal mechanisms towards resolving all issues had been frustrated by the governor. He also alleged that Governor Fayemi had 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 the promise of a huge sum of money to begin the process of suspending the former senator from the party for criticizing the administration of Dr Fayemi.
The crisis took a different dimension on Monday when the 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, the 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 chairman added that the executives align themselves with all the issues raised by senator 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 recognized stakeholder in the party and in the community at large.
” Ojudu has committed no offence as such deserves no punishment or victimization at all for merely expressing his displeasure over issues. That on the basis of the above, we jointly pass a vote of confidence on 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 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.
0 Comments