Politics
Just In: Ekiti Crisis: Suspension Of Fayemi, Party Members A Nullity- APC
…Gov Reacts, Says Suspension A Joke Taken To Far
…He Is A Loyal APC Member- Fani-Kayode Defends Fayemi
…Ojodu Accused Of Working With External Forces To Destabilize Party
By Augustine Akhilomen
The National Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed the suspension of Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi by a faction of the party.
The party, in a statement signed by the Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena described the suspension of the governor as well as an earlier reported indefinite suspension of some other party members in the State as a nullity.
According to Nabena, the Party’s National Secretariat is yet to receive communication from the state chapter on the purported “suspensions”, just as he warned all members to adhere to our Party constitution.
The statement also affirmed that Fayemi remains the leader of the party in Ekiti State.
“In line with the mandate of the Governor Mai Mala Buni-led APC Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary National Convention Planning Committee and the President’s admonition to party members to ensure and support ongoing amicable and rancour-free settlement of internal party disputes, we call on our esteemed party members and leaders in Ekiti State to be duly guided.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the Architect Paul Omotosho-chaired APC Ekiti State Working Committee is the authentic, valid and duly recognised Executive as no factions or divisions exist in the State Chapter,” the statement read.
Reacting to his suspension, Fayemi laughed off the move by the party members, saying it was a joke taken too far, just as he insisted that he remains the leader of the party in the State.
Fayemi, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Yinka Oyebode said APC as a party is governed by laws, adding that members of the group cannot hide under their recent suspension to announce a dubious suspension they lack the locus to handle.
“While one would have dismissed their claims as another failed attempt to polarise the party in the state, it is also important to put it on record that the action of the group smacks of criminal impersonation as none of those who signed the purported suspension letter are executive members of the party at ward, Local government or state level,” he said in a statement on Friday.
“The action is but a joke taken too far as they never had such power they want to arrogate to themselves while they were members of the party, much less now that they have been suspended.
“Governor Fayemi, however, remains unperturbed by this antics of suspended members.
“Well-meaning members of the public as well as members of APC are urged to disregard the news of the purported suspension as it only exists in the imagination of members of the group.
“Dr. Kayode Fayemi remains the indisputable leader of the APC in Ekiti State,” the CPS said.
A source also told Thepledge that Special Adviser to President Buhari on Political Matters, Babafemi Ojodu, who was one of the party members suspended, had been accused of using external forces to weaken the party structure in the State.
“The truth is that Ojodu is working for some powerful external forces to destabilize the state and make it ungovernable for Fayemi. It is an open secret and it is a battle for the soul of the State and the 2022 elections,” the source said.
Meanwhile, former Minister for Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode has condemned the suspension of Fayemi by the State Executive Committee of APC for ‘numerous anti-party activities, including receiving him (Fani-Kayode) in Ekiti few days before the Edo election.
Speaking after the governor’s suspension, Fani-Kayode said the suspension was absurd as Fayemi was a loyal member of the APC.
He tweeted, “@kfayemi is a loyal member of @OfficialAPCNg whilst I am in @OfficialPDPNig. Accusing him of “anti-party activities” & attempting to suspend him from his party because I visited him to discuss national & SW issues is absurd. Is it “anti-party” to meet with a friend of over 30 years?
“Is it “anti-party” to attempt to engender peace in our nation & to build bridges across regional, ethnic, religious and party lines? Is it “anti-party” to practice politics without bitterness?
“We must accept the fact that talking to those that we do not agree with politically is something that ought to be encouraged. Politics is not war!”
Meanwhile, the crisis lingering in the APC in Ekiti State has worsened with the purported suspension of Fayemi by a faction of the party.
The announcement of Fayemi’s suspension came barely 24 hours after another faction of the party, said to be loyal to the governor, suspended 11 key members of the party including Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Senator Babafemi Ojodu.
Members of the state executive committee who suspended Fayemi include Tony Adeniyi, Babafemi Ojudu, Dayo Adeyeye, Bimbo Daramola, Robinson Ajiboye, Oye Ojo, Adewale Omirin and Femi Adeleye.
A statement by the party pegged the reason for his suspension to “his numerous anti-party activities, especially his role in the recently concluded governorship election in Edo State which is contrary to the provisions of Article 21 (A) (ii) of the APC Constitution.”
According to the committee, a meeting it held on September 23 approved his suspension on the ground that five days before the Edo election, Fayemi hosted PDP chieftain Femi Fani-Kayode at the government house in Ado-Ekiti and plotted how to swing the election in favour of Governor Godwin Obaseki of PDP.
They also alleged that Fayemi was also behind of the loss of the party in the 2019 governorship election in Oyo State, noting that he not only orchestrated the downfall of the APC, but also supported the PDP candidate, Governor Seyi Makinde.
A former Director-General of the Labour Party (LP) Presidential Campaign Council, Mr Akin Osuntokun, says the Senate’s rejection of electronic transmission of election results does not portend well for the growth of Nigeria’s democracy.
Osuntokun, a former Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), who recently joined African Democratic Congress (ADC) made this remark in an interview with a correspondent of the agency on Friday in Lagos.
He was reacting to the Senate’s decision to exclude electronic transmission of results from the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2026 passed on Wednesday.
“It (Rejection of e-transmission of election results) does not portend good omen, it does not portend good for the growth of democracy in Nigeria.
“The growth of democracy is rooted in accountability and the integrity of elections.
“So anything that makes elections less accountable makes the election less credible. Automatically, it is a drag and an obstruction of the growth of democracy in Nigeria.
“It does not serve the purpose of democratic consolidation, so far as the elections that are conducted on that basis will not meet the bar or threshold of credible election,” Osuntokun said
He described the move as suspicious and logically linked to possible manipulation of elections.
Osuntokun added: “The logical interpretation of what they have done is that they want to look for avenues or contrive avenues where the elections can be manipulated.
“That is the logical interpretation of what they have done.”
Osuntokun said there was no convincing explanation or justification for rejecting electronic transmission.
He added: “What is the explanation? There is no tenable explanation for what they have done.
“Using the e-transmission makes the election or the counting of votes less susceptible to manual interference in the results that are declared.
“So, what we have been told is that any instrument, any intervention that will make the election less amenable to manipulation, they do not want it.”
Osuntokun, however, expressed doubt that the decision would discourage voter turnout in future elections.
He said voters were still likely to participate, but would become more vigilant.
Osuntokun said: “So, what people will do when they go to vote is to physically remain there.
“They will show as much as possible that the votes that are counted are credible and are votes that were duly cast.”
He warned that distrust about the electoral process could trigger tension at collation centres.
“If voters have this kind of mentality and have this distrust that the system is being deliberately manipulated, it will provoke anger, suspicion, indignation and invite physical interference of voters
“However, I do not think that it will affect turnout.
“It will just make them more indignant. It will foster a lot of indignation.
“It is possible that the voters react with indignation. Participation may be more aggressive to ensure that their vote counts,” he added.
NAN reports that the Senate had on Wednesday passed the Electoral Act 2022 (Repeal and Re-enactment) Amendment Bill 2026 after the third reading.
The upper legislative chamber, however, rejected a proposed amendment to Clause 60, Subsection 3 of the bill, which sought to make the electronic transmission of election results mandatory.
Lawmakers opposed to the proposal, citing technical and logistical concerns around its implementation nationwide.
A Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has frowned at the court ruling that nullified the national convention of the party in Ibadan 2025.
Speaking during an interview on Arise Television on Friday, George said the presiding judge acted and talked as if she was in beer parlour.
The elder statesman said he is absolutely disgusted by the judgement, which recognized the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike-backed faction.
Recall that a Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan nullified the PDP National Convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State, on November 15, 2025.
In the ruling, presiding judge, Justice Uche Agomoh, barred members of the Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee, NWC, from parading themselves as national officers of the PDP.
The judgment also recognized the Wike-led faction of the party.
Reacting on Friday, George said, “INEC monitored the National Convention of our party in Ibadan, as that is the party’s procedure. It is curious to know where and how the convention of the Wike faction was monitored, if at all.
“The judgement from Ibadan deviated from the matter before the judge; we’ll appeal this judgement.
“The judge veered out, started talking as if she was in a beer parlour. It’s unfortunate that this is the quality of people you have. I am absolutely disgusted. At this age, I have seen. It just reminded me. Where are the likes of Justice JIC Taylor in Lagos and so on?
“I have seen it before, and I’m happy that God has kept my life to this stage. Let us do what is just. People will come, people will go. What has happened is only a history that will remind you if you do well, and if you mess up and create mayhem. I hope they won’t run away because if heavens fall, nobody will escape.”
The All Progressives Congress has replaced Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, with former Katsina State governor, Aminu Bello Masari, as Chairman of the National Convention Central Coordination Committee ahead of the party’s March 27 and 28, 2026 convention.
This was contained in a statement signed by the National Secretary of the APC, Surajudeen Basiru, and posted on the party’s official X page on Friday.
“In further consultation with the leadership and national stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Central Coordination Committee for the 2020 National Convention has been reconstituted.
“Sub-committees of the Central Coordination Committee will be constituted and announced in due course,” the statement read.
Uzodimma, who was earlier named chairman of the committee, has now been reassigned as treasurer following a fresh reconstitution approved by the party leadership.
The party also expanded the membership of the committee from 73 to 90, bringing in additional chieftains, including Senator Barry Mpigi and other senior party figures.
Under the revised structure, former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim, was named Vice Chairman I, while Kwara State Governor and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, will serve as Vice Chairman II.
Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, was retained as Secretary of the committee.
The changes come barely days after the APC had unveiled Uzodimma as chairman of the 73-member committee, a move that signalled intensified preparations for the convention, which will culminate in the election of new members of the party’s National Working Committee.
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