Ekiti APC Rift Deepens as Ex-Deputy Speaker Jamiu Rejects Endorsement of Fayose’s Son

Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado Ekiti

Fresh tension has emerged within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State following a controversial endorsement at a constituency meeting in Iworoko, as a former Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Hakeem Jamiu, has publicly dissociated himself from the move.

Jamiu, who currently represents Irepodun-Ifelodun Constituency II in the Ekiti State House of Assembly, denied supporting the reported endorsement of Mr. Boluwatife Fayose, son of former Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose, as a consensus candidate for the constituency ahead of the party’s forthcoming primaries.

Reports had suggested the endorsement was adopted during a constituency meeting held in Iworoko Sunday, with claims that the lawmaker supported the arrangement.

However, in a statement issued on Sunday, Jamiu described the reports as misleading, clarifying that although he attended the meeting, he neither participated in nor endorsed any consensus decision.

According to him, the APC had not adopted consensus as the mode of selecting candidates for the State and National Assembly primaries.

He explained the last stakeholders’ meeting held at Jibowu Hall, Government House, only approved consensus for the selection of chairmanship and councillorship candidates in the forthcoming local government elections.

“The party has not recommended consensus for State and National Assembly primaries. It was only for chairmanship and councillorship positions that consensus was approved at the last stakeholders’ meeting, and no other meeting has been held since then,” he said.

Jamiu described the purported endorsement as premature, noting that the party was yet to release official guidelines for the conduct of primaries to elect candidates for the State and National Assemblies.

“As a sitting member of the House of Assembly, it is embarrassing for me to be invited to a constituency meeting only to be conscripted by ambush into a pre-arranged consensus endorsement,” he said.

The former Deputy Speaker expressed confidence that the national leadership of the APC would ensure internal democracy by providing a level playing field for all aspirants seeking the party’s ticket.

He also alleged that he was assaulted during the meeting by a ward councilor, whom he accused of pushing and threatening him.

Jamiu therefore urged his supporters and party members to disregard insinuations that he endorsed any aspirant at the meeting, stressing that genuine consensus must reflect the agreement of all stakeholders.

“I want to state clearly that I was not part of the so-called consensus arrangement. Consensus means that all stakeholders must agree, but that was not the case,” he said.

He appealed to the public to ignore reports suggesting that he backed the endorsement of any candidate during the meeting.