Wednesday May,09, 2018

Professionals in the South West have called on the APC National leadership not to impose any candidate in Ekiti State.

The group alleged plans by the APC National Chairman, Chief Odigie Oyegun to impose Dr Kayode Fayemi on the people of the state contrary to popular will.
SOWPROF said only direct primary can resolve the impasse adding that a continuation of an exercise where delegates had been paid questions the integrity of election through delegates.

The group said the disqualification of certain people due to the Saturday fracas was partial. He said Ekiti people were surprised that many actors in the crisis were exonerated by the APC National leadership.

He said apart from disrupting the primary election, the Fayemi group stoked further crisis by sacking the entire state Executive Council and imposing a caretaker committee that has no basis in law. "They violently took over the secretariat. This happened and nothing has been done to condemn or sanction those involved."

The National President South West Professional Forum, (SOWPROF) Chief Segun Ajibulu in a statement on Wednesday said many members of SOWPROF who came all the way from the United States and Europe to monitor the election were disappointed that the APC primary fell short of global standards.

Chief Ajibulu stated that the primary was disrupted because of establishd proof that many of the delegates were camped and bribed by an aspirant desperate to win.

"What happened on Saturday May 5 was a big shame. A former Governor of the state Dr Fayode Fayemi and his agents worked hard to intimidate voters and subdue them through financial inducements and outright blackmail."

He said in the build up to the primary election, Dr Kayode Fayemi camped many of the delegates and attempted to manipulate them contrary to best global practices.

"Money was offered. The aspirants were also camped. It was a conscious attempt to exploit the economic misery of the people for pure electoral fortunes. This is quite unfortunate."

SOWPROF calls on the National leadership to punish the former Governor of the State, Dr Kayode Fayemi for stimulating the chain of events that led to the Saturday fracas during the APC primary. The group said Fayemi's supporters participated in the riotous primary that took place last Saturday. He said while agents and aides of other aspirants were sanctioned, the Oyegun-led group left the Fayemi group intact.

The professionals condemned the primary of the All Progressives Congress, (APC) which ended in chaos saying that the desperation of Dr Fayemi should be blamed for the fiasco.

The group which represents more than 10,000 Yoruba professionals at home and abroad said the lack of credibility in electoral process will create unstable business enviroment which will undermine sustianable economic development in the region.

SOWPROF said for ensuring democratic culture in Ekiti it was important that the profess was credible and transparent.
"There cannot be a progressive government in Ekiti when basic tenets of democracy are submerged by a few but ruthless gang seeking to rule Ekiti for no reason other than for revenge."

He said while some of the aspirants worked hard to campaign and educate the voters on their economic and political blueprint, Dr Fayemi was busy threatening Ekiti people that he would win at all cost either the people wanted him or not.

SOWPROF stated "We ask the leadership of the APC to conduct an extensive investigation on the remote and immediate causes of the fracas and bring the perpetrators to book. The group urged the APC South West leadership to meet with the aspirants towards the emergence of a consensus candidate in the forthcoming gubernatorial elections. "

The right thing to do now is to disqualify the former governor for obvious compromise and corruption.

Chief Ajibulu said "The problem with Ekiti is partly because the former Governor of the state Dr Fayemi has failed to provide the required leadership and act like a statesman.

He said Dr Fayemi is overwhelmed by personal ambition instead of showing commitment to public service and the defence of the common good.


He urged Dr Fayemi to learn from Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu who had not sought any political position since 2007 when he left as the Governor of Lagos State.

SIGNED CHIEF SEGUN AJIBULU

APC is dead.... The hunter has turned around to be the haunted