Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti
As the crisis of mistrust rages unabated among some top in the Ekiti State chapter of the All Progressives Congress(APC), the party has inaugurated an eight-man reconciliation and peace committee to pacify the warring factions across different levels of the party in the state.
The committee was constituted in Ado Ekiti last Tuesday evening by the State Chairman of the party, Hon Paul Omotoso.
The committee is headed by former APC state Chairman, Chief Jide Awe, while Mr. Biodun Akin-Fasae, ex-Special Adviser, Governor’s office to Governor Kayode Fayemi, is the Secretary.
Other members are Mrs. Ronke Okusanya, Mr. Abiodun Ajayi, Tunde Fakoyede, Mr. Tayo Ekundayo, Hon Niyi Olajide and Alhaji Teslim Animasahun .
Recently, some aggrieved members spearheaded by the Presidential Adviser on Political Matters, Babafemi Ojudu; former Minister of Works, Dayo Adeyeye, and 13 others, had condemned the state Governor, Fayemi, accusing him of running the party like his personal estate.
A statement signed by the party and made available to journalists in Ado Ekiti, yesterday quoted the APC state Chairman, Paul Omotosho, as saying that the composition of the mediating body became imperative considering the fact that the party has been embroiled in crises, which needed to be abated in due course.
Omotosho noted that all the winning streaks of the party at the polls in 2019 were actualised as a result of unity and sincerity of purpose, which he advised should be maintained for the APC to remain strong and victorious in all coming contests.
“The move to reconcile the aggrieved members of the party has commenced about a year ago. The executive arm of the party has started visiting perceived aggrieved members at various levels, but the COVID-19 pandemic, however, became a clog in the wheel,” he stated.
Reading the terms of reference to the committee, Omotoso explained that the party won’t tele-guide the committee, since its aim is to ensure that peace returns to the party in the state .
“We can still see that some members are in court. Let them withdraw all the cases in court in the spirit of unity. I also charge the committee to work assiduously and ensure that such members jettison litigation in our own interest, because we have nothing to benefit in the atmosphere of rancour,” he added.
