The Ekiti State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has said reprieve was yet to come the way of the Presidential Adviser on Political Matters, Senator Babafemi Ojudu and 10 others despite the pronouncement of the party’s national body, saying the suspension slammed on them still subsists and in effect.
Acting on the report of the Hon. Sola Ajigbolamu-led disciplinary committee set up to probe Ojudu and others for alleged anti-party activities, the party had last week suspended them indefinitely from the APC.
Others who were suspended alongside Ojudu are Engr Ayo Ajibade, Hon. Oyetunde Ojo, Hon Femi Adeleye, Bunmi Ogunleye, Akin Akomolafe, Bamigboye Adegoroye, Wole Oluyede, Olusoga Owoeye, Dele Afolabi, and Toyin Oluwasola.
In a reprisal action, Ojudu and other aggrieved party gladiators who were miffed by Governor Kayode Fayemi’s alleged dictatorship and anti-party activities, also suspended the governor and the APC state chairman, Hon. Paul Omotoso.
The foregoing scenarios forced the National Working Committee via its National Deputy Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena to issue a statement nullifying the two suspensions and set up a reconciliation committee headed by Governor Nasir El-Rufai to broker truce between the contending groups.
Speaking with journalists via telephone conversation in Ado Ekiti yesterday, the APC State Publicity Secretary, Hon. Ade Ajayi said the suspension against Ojudu and others subsists.
Ajayi added that the El-Rufai reconciliation committee and the disciplinary committee set up at the state level, which recommended the suspension of Ojudu and others were saddled with distinct responsibilities with no overlapping effect.
“Let me clarify here, it was only the suspension of the illegal body imposed on Governor Kayode Fayemi that was nullified and not the one that was carried out by the state disciplinary committee.
“Don’t forget that there was a proviso in what the national body said concerning the lifting of the suspension. The National body said it has not received the report of the disciplinary committee set up by the authentic APC in Ekiti as at when the pronouncement was made.
“But as I speak with you, the national body has received the report. It was as a result of the disobedience to the directive of the National Executive Committee and President Muhammadu Buhari that all cases be withdrawn from courts that we set up the disciplinary committee”.
Ajayi exuded confidence that the Governor El-Rufai-led Reconciliation Committee will act on the report submitted by the Jide Awe-led committee set up by the State Working Committee to mediate in the crisis.
“There are two different issues, they are distinct and I don’t think there is a conflict between what the committees at the national level and state are to do.
“The Jide Awe-led committee submitted its report on Tuesday, September 29. We are confident that the committee set up by the national body will act on its recommendations.
“Don’t forget that the aggrieved people were provided with the opportunities, but they refused to appear before the disciplinary and reconciliation committees set up by the party. It has always been our wish that we remain one family”.
Ajayi appealed to Ojudu and his group to cooperate with the reconciliation committee set up by the national body for unity to be restored.
“Let them come home and ventilate their anger. Let them use the party’s reconciliation mechanisms to settle this so that we can remain united as we have ever been”.
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