There are indications that the estranged pioneer
member of the All Progressives Congress, Chief Tom
Ikimi, may leave the party if his grouse with the
leadership of the party is not resolved.
Ikimi spoke with our correspondent on Friday, saying
his absence at both the inaugural meetings of the
party’s Board of Trustees and the National Executive
Council, was in protest.
“Did you see me at the meeting or the caucus (BoT)
meeting,” he queried in text message to our
correspondent.
While responding to our correspondent’s further
probe through text messages and series of telephone
conversations, Ikimi said he had decided to remain in
his house.
He said, “I received their invitations for the meetings,
but I did not attend. I did not attend because I saw no
reason why they should even invite me for their
meetings when they did not address all the
fundamental issues that I raised after the convention.
“Have you seen me attending any of their meetings
since after the convention?”
Further phone conversations by our correspondent
with him went thus:
SUNDAY PUNCH: Does that mean you have left
the party?
Ikimi: I have not said so, I only said I did not attend
the meetings.
SUNDAY PUNCH: That means your status in the
party is uncertain. Nigerians want to know sir.
Ikimi: Wetin I go do when wayo people don drive me
commot for the party wey dem talk se na their own?
(What will I do when fraudulent people drove me
away from the party they claim belongs to them?)
SUNDAY PUNCH: That means you have left the
party. Which party are you joining now?
Ikimi: I have not said so but I remain in my house. I
cannot be running after anybody. I’m in my house.
The former Foreign Affairs Minister has been at
loggerheads with the leadership of the party,
particularly a national leader of the party, Asiwaju
Bola Tinubu, who he (Ikimi) had openly accused of
turning the party to his private empire.
Ikimi is among the 74 newly-appointed members of
the party’s BoT; but he did not attend the inaugural
meetings of neither the BoT nor the NEC held on
Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.
The National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Lai
Mohammed, did not respond to our correspondent’s
text message inquiry, requesting for his comment.
He also did not answer his call.
If he eventually leaves the party, Ikimi will be another
key figure in the party who will be leaving the APC
after the defection of a former Chairman of the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mallam
Nuhu Ribadu, to the Peoples Democratic Party, about
a week ago.
But a leader of the APC in Abuja, who pleaded not to
be named, said Ikimi was only seeking attention.
“He is only seeking attention. And some of our
governors and even the chairman of the party have
spoken to him but he called their bluff.
“Ikimi himself has sent a governor to us, asking us to
raise a delegation to beg him. But we cannot do that
because we don’t want him to go to the world and
start saying we are begging him.
“If he says he is leaving the APC, will he be going to
the PDP, where Chief Anenih is already the leader?”
The source said Ikimi became a member of the BoT
by virtue of being a former chairman of a political
party — the National Republican Convention.
According to the source, Article 12.2 (v) of the party
provides that a past chairman of a political party,
which has produced a president, vice-President,
governors, members of the National Assembly and
members of the House of Assembly, is an automatic
member of the BoT.
The source added, “There is no big deal about his
membership of the BoT. He only became a BoT
member by the virtue of being a former Chairman of
the NRC. The NRC won seats in the National
Assembly and state Houses of Assembly. That was
what made him a BoT member, not because he is
Ikimi.”
Copyright PUNCH.All rights reserved.

Tom Ikimi idio.....t

Which political party doesn't have fraudulent members?!

Mumu

Right from τ̲̅ђe horse's mouth. where else can we get a better truth than this!

ElFenomeno1: Tom Ikimi idio.....t

Which political party doesn't have fraudulent members?!

Mumu

Why do you find it so easy to abuse
Are you from the West

I don't bother my self this old politian Cos' they are full of empty barrels they are not here to give room to d youth to politians am highly disappointed in them.Thk God the youth faithfuls are aware of change in every part of d country even jagaban has limit his words in d politics and in d press Cos' he's old enough to decides what he will do for d next generation of youth Old Tom ikimi is just an empty barrel politians we are not here to be fooled with kerosene and rice we are here to be encouraged with development in d society.

old politians are not ready to give room to d best brain youth chance in politics in this country but they are here to dominate all and sundry they av fail this time are votes will be counted this time what happen in Osun will happen all over d state people will bring their phones send results online from ward to ward and from state to to state we are tired of rice and kerosene we are tired of I had no shoes so clueless.

eg

Tinubu
Atiku
Buhari

The APC should leave him cos he is just seeking unnecessary attention. What is his political strenght in Edo state, except that he is an opportunist like Anenih who knows how to seize a situation and corner juicy positions.


If he decamps to the PDP, he'd be a boy to Anenih; I bet he won't want that.

We all know

freshness2020: Right from τ̲̅ђe horse's mouth. where else can we get a better truth than this!

Yeah. Just like the late Horse Azazi!!! Remember what he said??

Who cares, let him port to anywhere he likes, time is going already and we all know 2015 is here. We shall see who the REAL FRAUDSTERS is? Shiooor, Empty barrel makes the loudest noise.

YES! And PDP has convicted criminals, so?

Just few of 'em!


The Change is coming!!

He is aggrieved so I understand his situation.


NEXT please!!!!

20pounds:

If he decamps to the PDP, he'd be a boy to Anenih; I bet he won't want that.

He won'nt mind. There's a lot of money and impunity flowing in pdp that Ikimi won't mind serving as gate keeper for Anenih.

These old man wants to fill his pocket before he dies.

Descartes:
Why do you find it so easy to abuse
Are you from the West

Get lost..... Where i am from is none of your goddam business.... Rat!

Let the truth be told.. Whether this guy is old or not.. The Apc has nothing to deliver. They are just bunch of thieves looking for political relevance..APC is as good as dead in Edo if this man leaves. Don't forget he is one of the founding fathers of the APC.. What this guy has seen sitting, I swear non of the APC guys will see in it standing in the next 20 years.
He is welcomed to our fold..

Descartes:
Why do you find it so easy to abuse
Are you from the West

fool words like anuofia, ewu, ofenmanu, onye ara aren't insults right?

omenka: Yeah. Just like the late Horse Azazi!!! Remember what he said??

This statement revolves back to Buhari.. Those people he claims are responsible for the bombs, are fully in the APC now, they angrily left after loosing relevance in the PDP.. There are no saints anywhere no doubt. No better place ♈όϋ can find these peeps but in the APC.

And PDP as well

He said the simple truth and he is free indeed.

Jaideyone: fool words like anuofia, ewu, ofenmanu, onye ara aren't insults right?

I guess that's your trademark. Go on man.

Descartes: I guess that's your trademark. Go on man.

dolt

Jaideyone: dolt

k

You've dined and wined with them for years please deal with it as usual.

ElFenomeno1: Tom Ikimi idio.....t

Which political party doesn't have fraudulent members?!

Mumu

are you telling us the apeesh1t have fraudulent members?, I thought they are all saints? interesting!

source?

Amateur journalism via text messages

ElFenomeno1:

Get lost..... Where i am from is none of your goddam business.... Rat!

you sound very very frustrated

I am loving this seriously........Ikimi is just one out of many strong members of APC about to jump ship, this I know for real!

“There is no big deal about his
membership of the BoT. He only became a BoT
member by the virtue of being a former Chairman of
the NRC. The NRC won seats in the National
Assembly and state Houses of Assembly. That was
what made him a BoT member, not because he is
Ikimi.”



Tha is enough for overrated Old Tom Ikimi who has made himself a political liability in the APC. His exit will be celebrated by the young guns in APC.
Crying Old man