The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State, has suspended the Special Adviser on Political Matters to President Muhammadu Buhari, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, and 10 other top members of the party, over alleged disobedience.
Ojudu and other members were slammed with indefinite suspension as a result of their refusal to withdraw the case they instituted against the party as directed by the National Executive Council of the party.
Ojudu and his allies, who were opposed to Governor Kayode Fayemi, had instituted a case against the constitution of the State Working Committee chaired by Paul Omotoso.
Ojudu and his people alleged that the names of those occupying party positions from the ward to the State level were not duly constituted through a legal and recognisable congress in the state.
The NEC had in its meeting of June 25, 2020 and attended by President Muhammadu Buhari, governors and stalwart directed that all cases pending in courts should be withdrawn for speedy resolution of internal crises in the party.
In a statement by the party’s State Publicity Secretary, Ade Ajayi, in Ado Ekiti, on Thursday, said the disciplinary action was taken against Ojudu and others, for defying NEC.
Others who were suspended include: Engr Ayo Ajibade, Oyetunde Ojo, Femi Adeleye, Bunmi Ogunleye, Akin Akomolafe, Bamigboye Adegoroye, Wole Oluyede, Olusoga Owoeye, Dele Afolabi, and Toyin Oluwasola.
The statement read: “The suspension is based on the re recommendation of the investigative/disciplinary committee inaugurated by SEC to investigate the disobedience of certain members to the directive of NEC of 25th June, 2020, which directed members of the party not to institute any court action and to withdraw existing cases in courts.
“The decision of SEC has been communicated to the Caretaker/extra ordinary convention planning committee of the party”.
Ojudu and others in a statement titled: ‘Before our impending expulsion from APC’, by the group’s spokesperson, Prince Bamgboye Adegoroye, on Wednesday, said the party would crumble in Ekiti, if they were expelled as being allegedly hatched by the governor.
Reacting, Ojudu said the only organ which has the authority of suspending a member is the Ward, describing the action of the state executive as illegal, ultra vires, null and void.
According to him, “Let it be said that the only organ of the party that can try and suspend a member is the Ward. What they have done is clearly illegal. I remain a member of APC and a committed one at that. I am not like them traitors who claim to be APC and go work for PDP in Oyo and Edo.
