Ondo APC leaders disagree over appointment of acting chairman

Leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State have disagreed over the appointment of an acting chairman.

This followed the removal of Isaac Kekemeke as chairman and the subsequent appointment of a former Deputy Chairman, Ade Adetimehin in acting capacity.

A statement by the first runner-up in the last governorship primaries, Dr. Olusegun Abraham, condemned the choice of Adetimehin.

He said the development would pose a great danger to the re-election bid of President Mohammadu Buhari in 2019.

The former governorship aspirant said the selection of Adetimehin has reduced the APC’s popularity and boosted that of the opposition parties.

Abraham declared his support for the factional chairman, Kekemeke, whom he said was sacked by the party’s executives.

“To avert these threats and put the party on a sound footing, the APC leaders and members should rally round our indefatigable chairman, Kekemeke, because of his honesty, resilience, resourcefulness, integrity and loyalty.

“We have absolute confidence in his leadership and that of Bola Ahmed Tinubu. We believe in their ability to bring back the popularity of the party in the state,” he said.

Abraham explained that it was Kekemeke who strengthened the APC and produced two of the three senators in the state, as well as five of the nine members in the House of Representatives.

But, the APC Publicity Secretary, Abayomi Adesanya, urged Abraham to desist from anti-party activities, describing them as political losers.

Adesanya accused Abraham and Kekemeke’s groups of working for the governorship candidate of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) in the last election, adding that they are no longer members of the APC.

“As for Kekemeke, he stands suspended until he goes back to his ward to re-register in the APC. He, however, said they would be re-admitted if they abide by the conditions of the party.