THE crack within the opposition All Progressive Congress, APC, in Ondo State is getting wider by the day. Although the leadership of the party in the state has been trying to dismiss the cold war within its fold but recent happenings has brought to light the fact that all is not well.
Vanguard findings showed that the governorship ambition of two gladiators of the party in the state have polarized the party and if care is not taken may spell doom for it.
Distrust is the name of the game in the opposition party in the state. Even within the state executive members of the party there is deep rooted ill feelings amongst them.
The youth wing of the party is accessing leaders of the party especially the elders council of not living up to expectation by supporting a faction of the party instead of uniting the party.
The gladiators are the Senator representing the northern senatorial district of the state in the Senate, Prof. Ajayi Boroffice and the former governorship candidate of the defunct Action Congress in 2009 election, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN.
Both are fighting for the soul of the party ahead of the 2016 governorship election in the state having hailed from the Northern area of the state where the Party leaders have reportedly zoned the position. They tested their political weight ahead of the appointment of ministerial nominee for the state and the outcome has left a sour taste in the mouth of one of the factions.
Akeredolu was one of the front runners for the position while Boroffice instead of supporting him pitched his tent with a neutral person for the position. His support for a neutral person from another zone was for his selfish interest because if Akeredolu was picked it would have jeopardized his governorship ambition since they both hail from the same northern senatorial zone.
It should be noted that Akeredolu contested for the governorship election six years ago but was trashed by the incumbent Dr Olusegun Mimiko. So when president Buhari eventually picked a nominee from the Southern area of the state, Prof Claudius Omoleye Daramola from Ode- Aye in Okitipupa area of the state, the Boroffice camp threw a party while the Akeredolu camp bit their fingers in regret.
The likes of the Deputy chairman of the party in the South West Pius Akinyelure, former Special Adviser to Osun State governor, Environmental Matters Bola Ilori, former governorship candidate of the defunct ACN, Prince Ademola Adegoroye ,the first female Chairman of the party, Mrs Jumoke Anifowose, the former candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the last governorship election in the state, Chief Olusola Oke, former Chief of Staff to late Governor Olusegun Agagu, Mr Femi Agagu, the state Coordinator of Buhari/Osinbajo campaign organization, Mr Ife Oyedele were equally interested in the ministerial position but they are unhappy that the President preferred to look elsewhere and abandoned all of them who contributed to the party’s victory in the last general election for a relatively unknown technocrat.
One of those who lost out in the ministerial position said that Daramola “abandoned” the party after he contested for the state chairmanship of the party with the incumbent Hon Kekemeke two years ago after he lost woefully.
He alleged that Daramola’s sudden emergence is a minus to the party in the state as he is not a grassroot politician who can add any value to the party’s quest to win next year’s governorship election in the state. A technocrat can not be a rallying point in the coming governorship election.
“What we need as a party in this state is a known politician that can stand shoulder to shoulder with the incumbent governor Mimiko not someone who can not even win our state chairmanship election. “If care is not taken. We have known the result of the governorship election even before it was conducted. The choice of Daramola has dampened the morale of the majority of our members.
Akeredolu who has the support of some leaders of the party in the state to scale through and emerge as the ministerial nominee was however unlucky as the candidate of Boroffice with the support of the Vice President Prof Yemi Osibanjo was picked by President Muhamadu Buhari.
The choice of Daramola as Minister nominee representing the state jolted the camp of the Akeredolu and by extension that of the polarized leadership of the party in the state. It further widened the cracks within the party as the Akeredolu camp felt the Boroffice group boxed them to a corner and there was need to re-strategise.
While some of the leadership of the party balked over the choice of Daramola which caught them pants down , a “mole” Abayomi Adesanya within the party executive who belongs to the Boroffice camp was reportedly mandated to use his position as the Publicity Director of the party in the state to issue a statement to applaud the choice of Daramola by the President.
Adesanya in the statement called on “ the senators from the state to put aside political sentiments and parochial interest and support the nomination of Prof Daramola as the minister from the state. His reported unilateral decision to issue the statement without the approval of the state executive pitched him against the party State working Committee which wielded the hammer by suspending him forthwith.
South West Voice gathered that the state SWC felt slighted that it’s spokesman prefers taking directives from the Borofice camp instead of the elected leaders. Abayomi fished in troubled water barely a month ago when he issued a statement accusing the National publicity Secretary of the the PDP Olisa Metuh of being on the payroll of the state government without authorization by the party leaders.
The party was later to disown him and the statement and consequently stopped him from issuing statements unless vetted by the SWC of the party in the state. But Adesanya fired back, accusing the party Chairman in the state of romancing with the ruling party thereby “ killing the publicity department of the party in the state.
While some leaders of the party including the legal luminary Tunji Abayomi hailed the appointment of the minister and the statement issued by the embattled party spokesman, the other members of the State Working Committee kicked against it.
Vanguard gathered that Adesanya in the statement that unearthed the rumpus commended President Buhari over the appointment of Prof Daramola as a ministerial nominee and asked that party leaders should jettison their political sentiments and parochial interest and support the nomination of Prof Daramola as the minister from the state.
The SWC of the party sees the statement as a direct attack on them and they fought back knowing fully that Adesanya was acting the script of Boroffice.
However, few days after, another statement was issued by the Party announcing Adesanya’s suspension. It was signed by the state secretary of the party, Mr. Rahman Rotimi and Youth leader, Omolayo Babalola.
In the suspension letter, the state working Committee noted “ the continuing gross misconduct of the state publicity secretary and therefore unanimously suspended him from office and set up a disciplinary committee to look into his activities which have of recent emabrassed the party.
But the suspended spokesman of the party dismissed the action of the state working committee of the party arguing that it has no such power to suspend an officer. Adesanya who said that he was yet to receive any letter of suspension from the committee described the action of the SWC as lawless.
“ It’s on record that I have never been queried for failing to perform my constitutional duties as the state publicity Secretary. I am not an appointee, a stooge or an appendage of any member of the SWC. He insisted that he remained the publicity secretary of the party in the state adding that the constitution of the party does not “ give room for impunity and lawlessness.
The embattled spokesman said he can not be intimidated by any member of the SWC adding that he campaign, contested and won election like any other member of the state Executive Committee. Meanwhile to further weaken him, the party has gone ahead to appoint a Director of Media and Publicity Steve Otaloro Bayode who now act as the spokesman of the party.
A chieftain of the party , Dr. Tunji Abayomi said that the “APC Constitution does not allow discipline before fact-finding that allows fair hearing. Moreover the grounds for discipline are set out in the Constitution which in my view excludes whatever ground the Ondo State now uses.
“The Chairman of the Party is a lawyer. He should be true to his profession. The other issue is this. We must ask whether those who complain about the Congratulatory message also lobbied to be Minister.
“If they do, how are we sure they are not reacting to President’s decision to pick a neutral gentleman who did not lobby for office. The Executive should tell us how the Publicity Secretary embarrassed the Party by his forward looking comments on political affairs in the State please”.
However, a school of though said the choice Daramola from the south was a good political calculation to have an inroad to the Southern zone where the party had a poor outing during the last general election and also because the governor and the deputy positions have been zoned to the North and central senatorial area of the state respectively by the leaders of the party.
Speaking with South west voice, the state chairman of the party Hon Isaac Kekemeke denied that there was crisis in the opposition party in the state. He however declared that the executive was out to instill discipline in the party hence the hues and cries.
On the ministerial nominee, Kekemeke said “ we do note his appointment. The party is also aware that it is the prerogative of the President to appoint his cabinet. I am a party man so I will not speak against the action of the President openly. “There are channels of communications within our party. If we then sit together as a party and we have any comment to make we will pass it through our leadership.
The chairman said he has personally congratulated the new ministerial nominee by sending a text message to him. “However it is not about me. It is about the leadership of the party and what we have said concerning Daramola is simply the party’s position. I do not have anything against the ministerial nominee.
On the suspension of the party’s spokesman for “ consistent misconduct the Chairman said that 13 of the 16 members of the SWC who attended the meeting “ unanimously agreed that he should be suspended while setting up a committee to look into his case. Kekemeke pointed out that on three occasions the SWC had warned that he should conduct himself properly and perform his duties in accordance with provision of constitution,
“ A month ago the state Publicity Secretary was barred by the entire state executives consisting of about 70people from speaking or issuing any statement on behalf of the party. “ At that time the issue of ministerial nominee had not come up people just got tired by the way and manner he carried on as the State publicity secretary. Here is a man who says he is not direct able.
“ How do you work with such person?. He issued policy statement on behalf of the party without the permission and knowledge of anybody including sensitive issues like kidnap of chief Olu Falae. “ He issued statement affecting national structure of a party without permission of anybody and each time our leaders read that on the pages of newspapers, they get embarrassed.
The Chairman said “ it is a mere coincidence that his suspension came at the time the issue of ministerial nominee came up, fundamentally it has nothing to do with Prof Daramola.
“ Should a state Publicity Secretary of a party issue a press statement on ministerial nominees without consultation with me or state working committee, state Executive and Zonal leadership of our party. We must build a disciplined party. This is a case of a man who is grossly undisciplined.
As the house of the main opposition party in the state continue to crack day by day, the ruling party is happy and wish the rumpus linger so that the 2016 governorship election will be a walk over for it. Who will save the opposition party from its self afflicted crisis
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THE crack within the opposition All Progressive Congress, APC, in Ondo State is getting wider by the day. Although the leadership of the party in the state has been trying to dismiss the cold war within its fold but recent happenings has brought to light the fact that all is not well.
Vanguard findings showed that the governorship ambition of two gladiators of the party in the state have polarized the party and if care is not taken may spell doom for it.
Distrust is the name of the game in the opposition party in the state. Even within the state executive members of the party there is deep rooted ill feelings amongst them.
The youth wing of the party is accessing leaders of the party especially the elders council of not living up to expectation by supporting a faction of the party instead of uniting the party.
The gladiators are the Senator representing the northern senatorial district of the state in the Senate, Prof. Ajayi Boroffice and the former governorship candidate of the defunct Action Congress in 2009 election, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN.
Both are fighting for the soul of the party ahead of the 2016 governorship election in the state having hailed from the Northern area of the state where the Party leaders have reportedly zoned the position. They tested their political weight ahead of the appointment of ministerial nominee for the state and the outcome has left a sour taste in the mouth of one of the factions.
Akeredolu was one of the front runners for the position while Boroffice instead of supporting him pitched his tent with a neutral person for the position. His support for a neutral person from another zone was for his selfish interest because if Akeredolu was picked it would have jeopardized his governorship ambition since they both hail from the same northern senatorial zone.
It should be noted that Akeredolu contested for the governorship election six years ago but was trashed by the incumbent Dr Olusegun Mimiko. So when president Buhari eventually picked a nominee from the Southern area of the state, Prof Claudius Omoleye Daramola from Ode- Aye in Okitipupa area of the state, the Boroffice camp threw a party while the Akeredolu camp bit their fingers in regret.
The likes of the Deputy chairman of the party in the South West Pius Akinyelure, former Special Adviser to Osun State governor, Environmental Matters Bola Ilori, former governorship candidate of the defunct ACN, Prince Ademola Adegoroye ,the first female Chairman of the party, Mrs Jumoke Anifowose, the former candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the last governorship election in the state, Chief Olusola Oke, former Chief of Staff to late Governor Olusegun Agagu, Mr Femi Agagu, the state Coordinator of Buhari/Osinbajo campaign organization, Mr Ife Oyedele were equally interested in the ministerial position but they are unhappy that the President preferred to look elsewhere and abandoned all of them who contributed to the party’s victory in the last general election for a relatively unknown technocrat.
One of those who lost out in the ministerial position said that Daramola “abandoned” the party after he contested for the state chairmanship of the party with the incumbent Hon Kekemeke two years ago after he lost woefully.
He alleged that Daramola’s sudden emergence is a minus to the party in the state as he is not a grassroot politician who can add any value to the party’s quest to win next year’s governorship election in the state. A technocrat can not be a rallying point in the coming governorship election.
“What we need as a party in this state is a known politician that can stand shoulder to shoulder with the incumbent governor Mimiko not someone who can not even win our state chairmanship election. “If care is not taken. We have known the result of the governorship election even before it was conducted. The choice of Daramola has dampened the morale of the majority of our members.
Akeredolu who has the support of some leaders of the party in the state to scale through and emerge as the ministerial nominee was however unlucky as the candidate of Boroffice with the support of the Vice President Prof Yemi Osibanjo was picked by President Muhamadu Buhari.
The choice of Daramola as Minister nominee representing the state jolted the camp of the Akeredolu and by extension that of the polarized leadership of the party in the state. It further widened the cracks within the party as the Akeredolu camp felt the Boroffice group boxed them to a corner and there was need to re-strategise.
While some of the leadership of the party balked over the choice of Daramola which caught them pants down , a “mole” Abayomi Adesanya within the party executive who belongs to the Boroffice camp was reportedly mandated to use his position as the Publicity Director of the party in the state to issue a statement to applaud the choice of Daramola by the President.
Adesanya in the statement called on “ the senators from the state to put aside political sentiments and parochial interest and support the nomination of Prof Daramola as the minister from the state. His reported unilateral decision to issue the statement without the approval of the state executive pitched him against the party State working Committee which wielded the hammer by suspending him forthwith.
South West Voice gathered that the state SWC felt slighted that it’s spokesman prefers taking directives from the Borofice camp instead of the elected leaders. Abayomi fished in troubled water barely a month ago when he issued a statement accusing the National publicity Secretary of the the PDP Olisa Metuh of being on the payroll of the state government without authorization by the party leaders.
The party was later to disown him and the statement and consequently stopped him from issuing statements unless vetted by the SWC of the party in the state. But Adesanya fired back, accusing the party Chairman in the state of romancing with the ruling party thereby “ killing the publicity department of the party in the state.
While some leaders of the party including the legal luminary Tunji Abayomi hailed the appointment of the minister and the statement issued by the embattled party spokesman, the other members of the State Working Committee kicked against it.
Vanguard gathered that Adesanya in the statement that unearthed the rumpus commended President Buhari over the appointment of Prof Daramola as a ministerial nominee and asked that party leaders should jettison their political sentiments and parochial interest and support the nomination of Prof Daramola as the minister from the state.
The SWC of the party sees the statement as a direct attack on them and they fought back knowing fully that Adesanya was acting the script of Boroffice.
However, few days after, another statement was issued by the Party announcing Adesanya’s suspension. It was signed by the state secretary of the party, Mr. Rahman Rotimi and Youth leader, Omolayo Babalola.
In the suspension letter, the state working Committee noted “ the continuing gross misconduct of the state publicity secretary and therefore unanimously suspended him from office and set up a disciplinary committee to look into his activities which have of recent emabrassed the party.
But the suspended spokesman of the party dismissed the action of the state working committee of the party arguing that it has no such power to suspend an officer. Adesanya who said that he was yet to receive any letter of suspension from the committee described the action of the SWC as lawless.
“ It’s on record that I have never been queried for failing to perform my constitutional duties as the state publicity Secretary. I am not an appointee, a stooge or an appendage of any member of the SWC. He insisted that he remained the publicity secretary of the party in the state adding that the constitution of the party does not “ give room for impunity and lawlessness.
The embattled spokesman said he can not be intimidated by any member of the SWC adding that he campaign, contested and won election like any other member of the state Executive Committee. Meanwhile to further weaken him, the party has gone ahead to appoint a Director of Media and Publicity Steve Otaloro Bayode who now act as the spokesman of the party.
A chieftain of the party , Dr. Tunji Abayomi said that the “APC Constitution does not allow discipline before fact-finding that allows fair hearing. Moreover the grounds for discipline are set out in the Constitution which in my view excludes whatever ground the Ondo State now uses.
“The Chairman of the Party is a lawyer. He should be true to his profession. The other issue is this. We must ask whether those who complain about the Congratulatory message also lobbied to be Minister.
“If they do, how are we sure they are not reacting to President’s decision to pick a neutral gentleman who did not lobby for office. The Executive should tell us how the Publicity Secretary embarrassed the Party by his forward looking comments on political affairs in the State please”.
However, a school of though said the choice Daramola from the south was a good political calculation to have an inroad to the Southern zone where the party had a poor outing during the last general election and also because the governor and the deputy positions have been zoned to the North and central senatorial area of the state respectively by the leaders of the party.
Speaking with South west voice, the state chairman of the party Hon Isaac Kekemeke denied that there was crisis in the opposition party in the state. He however declared that the executive was out to instill discipline in the party hence the hues and cries.
On the ministerial nominee, Kekemeke said “ we do note his appointment. The party is also aware that it is the prerogative of the President to appoint his cabinet. I am a party man so I will not speak against the action of the President openly. “There are channels of communications within our party. If we then sit together as a party and we have any comment to make we will pass it through our leadership.
The chairman said he has personally congratulated the new ministerial nominee by sending a text message to him. “However it is not about me. It is about the leadership of the party and what we have said concerning Daramola is simply the party’s position. I do not have anything against the ministerial nominee.
On the suspension of the party’s spokesman for “ consistent misconduct the Chairman said that 13 of the 16 members of the SWC who attended the meeting “ unanimously agreed that he should be suspended while setting up a committee to look into his case. Kekemeke pointed out that on three occasions the SWC had warned that he should conduct himself properly and perform his duties in accordance with provision of constitution,
“ A month ago the state Publicity Secretary was barred by the entire state executives consisting of about 70people from speaking or issuing any statement on behalf of the party. “ At that time the issue of ministerial nominee had not come up people just got tired by the way and manner he carried on as the State publicity secretary. Here is a man who says he is not direct able.
“ How do you work with such person?. He issued policy statement on behalf of the party without the permission and knowledge of anybody including sensitive issues like kidnap of chief Olu Falae. “ He issued statement affecting national structure of a party without permission of anybody and each time our leaders read that on the pages of newspapers, they get embarrassed.
The Chairman said “ it is a mere coincidence that his suspension came at the time the issue of ministerial nominee came up, fundamentally it has nothing to do with Prof Daramola.
“ Should a state Publicity Secretary of a party issue a press statement on ministerial nominees without consultation with me or state working committee, state Executive and Zonal leadership of our party. We must build a disciplined party. This is a case of a man who is grossly undisciplined.
As the house of the main opposition party in the state continue to crack day by day, the ruling party is happy and wish the rumpus linger so that the 2016 governorship election will be a walk over for it. Who will save the opposition party from its self afflicted crisis
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