The race for the Ekiti state government house under the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) will start tomorrow as the party begins the sale of nomination and expression of Interest forms. Governor Kayode Fayemi, the current governor of the state, is expected to end his mandatory four-year term in October 2022. He had his first term between 2010 to 2014 Sen. John Akpanudodehe, National Secretary APC Caretaker and Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), who announced the sale of forms in a statement on Sunday in Abuja, added that sale of forms for governorship aspirants in Osun State would begin on November 18, this year.
Governor Adegboyega Oyetola of Osun state is rounding off his first term next year. He was sworn in as governor of the state described as the state of the Land of Virtue on November 27, 2018. Constitutionally, he is allowed to take another shot at the state’s number one seat. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has fixed June 18, 2022, for the Ekiti state governorship election and July 16, 2022, for the same exercise in Osun state. Meanwhile, the Concerned Stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has vowed to resist the imposition of individuals as party leaders by any group in the name of consensus in the upcoming National Convention. Mr. Ayo Oyalowo, the National Coordinator of the group, said this at a news conference on Thursday in Abuja. He urged all members of the APC who had aspirations for any position in the national convention to come out and declare their interests. He advised them to declare their intention without fear of being denied the right to contest at the convention.
“We are more than determined to ensure that the convention would be an elective one, and that no set of people, no matter how powerful or highly placed, would impose leadership on the party in the name of consensus,” he said. He said that the concerned stakeholders were in support of direct primaries for electing candidates for political parties as approved by the National Assembly. “For us in the APC, this singular action of the National Assembly which has also received the endorsement of the tripartite committee is a victory for internal party democracy. “This is especially because it will return the party to the ordinary members who have toiled day and night for its success and not a few privileged and selfish individuals,” he said.
Oyalowo, however, expressed displeasure that the Gov. Mai Mala Buni-led APC Caretaker and Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) had yet to conduct a national convention for over one year. He said while the stakeholders acknowledged the wisdom behind the decision of President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC National Executive Committee (NEC) to set up the committee, it should live up to expectations. He alleged that the committee had taken over the functions of the National Working Committee (NWC) rather than stabilizing the party and organizing the congresses and conventions as mandated. Oyalowo noted that apart from embarking on the APC membership revalidation and registration, the caretaker committee had yet to carry out the very responsibilities it was assigned to do. Speaking on the just concluded Anambra governorship election, he said with a little more effort, the APC would have won the election. “What is certain however is that we shall not sit and watch a party we have contributed so much in the building go down the drain as a result of the selfish actions of a few. “We are also calling on all concerned members of the party across the country, and particularly our leaders, to join hands and ensure that we elect a NWC that will truly represent the interest and aspirations of genuine APC members. “The party is in urgent need of an inclusive NWC that will look holistically at the issues bedeviling it and resolve them once and for all,” he said. Oyalowo, however, commended President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Senate President Ahmad Lawan, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, and APC National Leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu for their support towards strengthening the party.
“As we move towards the convention, we have absolute belief in these leaders that they would ensure that the right thing is done,” he said. Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress [APC] in Anambra State has sacked its publicity secretary, Okelo Madukaife for congratulating Professor Chukwuma Soludo after the recent election in the state. Chief Basil Ejidike, the state chairman of the party, who announced the sacking at a press conference in Awka on Sunday, said Madukaife appeared on national television after the election to congratulate the All Progressives Grand Alliance governor-elect, Prof Chukwuma Soludo without authorization. “Okelo was suspended in June this year. We were surprised that he has continued to parade himself as the publicity secretary of the party. That ought not to be. “On behalf of APC Anambra State, we wish to clearly state that Okelo Madukaife is no longer a member of our party and so he can’t be or function as the publicity secretary of our party in the state. “Anybody dealing with him as a member of the APC or publicity secretary of the party is doing so at their own risk. “We wish to state categorically that as far as the Anambra governorship poll is concerned, we have not congratulated anybody.”
Continuing, the chairman said, “But we are aware that since June, he has been raining abuses on our party. “Okelo was suspended since June following his involvement in anti-party activities. He has been replaced by assistant publicity secretary, Nonso Chinwuba. Okelo does not belong to the party.” The chairman who described the election as a fraud said the party would soon approach the court to file a suit on the election after poring through documents at its disposal. He was later reminded that Soludo has also been congratulated by other members of the APC such as the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, and Director General of the National Inland Waterways, Chief George Moghalu but he absolved them of blame saying the party members spoke as individuals and not for the party. Madukaife however insisted he still remained the state’s publicity secretary, adding, “As we are talking now, I am still doing my work very effectively and discharging my duties as the publicity secretary of the party in the state. So, I don’t know what you are talking about. “Maybe I should see everything he said so that I can reply once because our party cannot be sold to anybody. Our position that there were no governorship primaries in Anambra as stated by our chapter remains firm, fixed, and unshakable. It’s the truth registered in the minds of all members of the APC,” he said. Madukaife was allegedly suspended in June this year. In another development, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the November 6 election, Senator Andy Uba, has been accused of making a fool of himself by relying on promises from APGA defectors to help him win the election. All Progressives Grand Alliance [APGA] derided Uba on Sunday saying the senator should be thankful for winning his ward in the election.
The National Coordinator of APGA Media Warriors Forum, Chinedu Obigwe, who stated this in Awka, during a press conference also added that Uba’s decision to challenge the election results in court would complicate matters for him.