Protests rock APC national headquarter, Ekiti secretariat

The National headquarters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was on Monday besieged by protesters from Kaduna State chapter of the party.

The protesters, who stormed the party headquarters in Abuja in their dozens, were protesting the alleged non-conduct of the party ward congress in the state last Saturday.

Displaying different placards with inscriptions requesting that that party conduct congresses in Kaduna State, the angry protesters demanded that the national chairman of the party, John Odigie-Oyegun resign.

Some of their placards read, “No APC ward congress in Kaduna”, “Oyegun should go”, “EFCC should come to our aid”, “Democracy is about people and not a committee of friends”.

In a related development, members of the party in Ekiti State also on Monday stormed the state APC secretariat with fetish objects protesting the Saturday botched governorship primary election.

The protesters were said to be members of the party, who are loyal to one of the aspirants and the state former governor, Kayode Fayemi. They disapproved of the conduct of the members of the State Working Committee (SWC).

In their various placards, the members passed a vote of no confidence on the State chairman of the party, Chief Jide Awe and party spokesman, Hon. Taiwo Olatunbosun, accusing them of supporting one of the aspirants in the race.

Protesting under the aegis of Concerned APC stakeholders, the group who were mostly delegates and party leaders from the local government and ward levels, accused Awe of working in cahoots with Governor Ayodele Fayose to destroy APC ahead of the July 14 governorship election in the state.

They also accused Awe of being bribed with N75 million by the state Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to carry out the sinister job.

The group went further to claim that the SWC has been disbanded based on Article 21 (7) of the party’s constitution, and then set up a Caretaker Committee headed by APC chairman in Ise/Orun Council, Mr.Michael Eegunjobi.

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Barrister Adeoye Aribasoye, who was the coordinator of the group said, “We are concerned APC members in Ekiti. We had it on good authority that the peaceful election held on Saturday would have been successful, but for connivance between our party chairman and Governor Fayose. The election could have been adjudged the best in Ekiti and Nigeria at large.

“We are hereby passing vote of no confidence in Awe and SWC members for taking sides. It was Awe and Olatunbosun that allowed those thugs to enter and disrupt the poll. The same Jide Awe now going around to say the election should be cancelled. He even met with governor of Nasarawa State, Tanko Almakura and APC National Vice Chairman , Pius Akinyelure on Sunday to ask for consensus in favour of Segun Oni.

“It is against the tenets of democracy and APC statute for SWC to be showing open bias. As a result of this, we held a congress today where it was agreed that a caretaker committee to be led by Hon Kayode Eehunjobi as chairman and Michael Akinleye as Secretary”.

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