The crisis rocking the Ekiti State chapter of the All Progressives Congress became messier on Tuesday as the state chapter of the party set up an eight-member disciplinary committee saddled with the responsibility of hearing the reasons some members of the party were violating the National Executive Committee’s resolution on litigations.
Those listed as defaulters of the rule are mostly stalwarts of the party in the state who have been having a running battle with the state governor, Kayode Fayemi, they are Presidential Political Adviser, Babafemi Ojudu; son-in-law to Senator Bola Tinubu, Hon. Oyetunde Ojo; former governorship aspirant, Dr Wole Oluyede; Ayo Ajibade; and Femi Adeleye.
Others are Chief Akin Akomolafe; Bamigboye Adegoroye; Olusoga Owoeye; Dele Afolabi; Toyin Oluwasola, Ben Oguntuase, and Bunmi Ogunleye.
Ekiti APC State Director of Media and Publicity, Elder Sam Oluwalana, said the disciplinary committee chaired by a former Ekiti State House of Assembly Speaker, Patrick Ajigbolamu, was set up in line with the directive of APC NEC.
Oluwalana stated that “You will recall that on the 25th June, 2020, the NEC passed a resolution directing members of the party not to institute any court action and to withdraw their cases in court in order to explore the internal conflict resolution mechanism of the party”.
He said the party NEC frowned at the complete disregard of the affected members to the resolution hence the directive to the state chapter to “immediately set up a disciplinary committee to commence and complete the process of suspension of the affected members from the party.”
The committee is to complete the assignment in 19 days and forward the proceedings and records to the national body.
But reacting to the move, Ojudu said, “It is laughable and also against the constitution of the party because the state working committee lacks the power to suspend any member. It is only the ward that can do that.They are setting out on the path to perdition.”
The NEC directive dated September 7, titled ‘Resolution and directive of the NEC on litigation by party members’ and signed by APC Head Legal Service, Dare Oketade, to the state chapter, stated, “You are expected to forward to the National Secretariat all records of the disciplinary proceedings against them for disobeying the directives of the NEC issued on June 25, 2020.
“It is important that all the disciplinary procedures to be undertaken must be consistent with the right to fair hearing as enshrined in the party’s constitution. Also, note that the state legal adviser is expected to be part of every proceeding to give legal guidance and this exercise is expected to be completed and records sent to the party within 19 days.”
