Crisis rocks Ondo APC as faction sacks chairman

• ‘It is an expression of democracy’

The All Progressives Congress in Ondo State is in crisis with some members impeaching the chairman, Isaac Kekemeke. They alleged that he was promoting an aspirant ahead of the others for the governorship primaries slated for August 27.

The group, which called itself Movement Against Imposition (MAI) led by Mr. Tolu Babaleye, convener, Mr. Adelokiki Francis, secretary and Mr. Gbenga Ajayi, the public relations officer, accused the embattled chairman of bias who should not be allowed to supervise the primaries.

However, Kekemeke refuted all the allegations, saying it was a political incitement from a few ones. He downplayed the situation, saying the protest was an expression of democracy.

The faction, which claimed it has members across the 18 councils, barricaded and locked down the main entrance of the party’s state secretariat along Oyemekun, Akure, displaying placards rejecting endorsement, imposition and Kekemeke as the chairman to conduct the primaries.

In the inscriptions were: “Ondo State Minus Kekemeke Equals Victory; No Impostor, No Imposition, No Endorsement; Ondo ACCOMORAN Says No to Kekemeke; Kekemeke Is A Mole in APC; Kekemeke Is An Unrepentant Sinner; APC Plus Kekemeke Equal Failure,” among others.

MAI accused Kekemeke of promoting one of the 25 aspirants of the party as the favoured candidate endorsed by the APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

The faction insisted that Kekemeke must not be allowed to conduct the primary election since he has compromised his office.

The embattled chairman said “I am not angry because people are free to express how they feel especially given the fact that APC has a high propensity to win the coming election.

Kekemeke however, wondered why some aspirants were trying to deny others the same endorsements they sought as they campaigned for support ahead of the primaries.

He said most of the aspirants had gone to Mr. Tinubu to seek his endorsement for the election, but while some failed to secure his support, some others might have succeeded.

“Whatever the case, I can assure you that everyone will still have to submit himself to the primaries and a candidate will emerge through a free and fair election.”