APC disqualifies Kayode Ojo from Ekiti governorship race

…clears Gov. Oyebanji for Primaries

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has disqualified two aspirants, Kayode Ojo and Abimbola Olawunmi, from contesting in the forthcoming Ekiti State governorship primaries.

The party, however, cleared the incumbent governor, Abiodun Oyebanji, and Atinuke Omolayo to participate in the primaries scheduled to hold later this month.

Duro Meseko, the deputy national publicity secretary of the party, disclosed the disqualification while addressing journalists at the end of the 179th NWC meeting held on Thursday at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.

Meseko explained that Ojo and Olawunmi were disqualified for failing to meet the requirements stipulated in the APC Constitution and the Electoral Act.

“The disqualification of these two people was predicated on the fact that they did not conform with the provisions of the constitution of the party and also the extant provisions of the Electoral Act,” he said.

BusinessDay reports that the Ekiti governorship primaries are billed for October 27.

Ojo and Olawunmi had entered the race accusing the incumbent governor of anti-party activities and mismanagement of party funds.

The aspirants also warned that fielding Oyebanji as the governorship candidate could affect the votes and support that President Bola Tinubu might receive from the state during future elections.

Ojo, one of the disqualified aspirants, had vowed that whether through direct or indirect primaries, he would defeat the incumbent governor if the party provided a level playing field for all contestants.

IN the same vein, the NWC announced the dissolution of the Enugu State Working Committee, a move it described as being in the interest of “progress, peace, stability, and tranquility” of the party in the state.

A seven-man caretaker committee was immediately constituted to oversee the party’s affairs in Enugu pending further directives.

Meseko stated that the committee, chaired by Dr. Ben Nwoye, will be inaugurated on Friday, October 10, at the NWC Secretariat in Abuja. Other members include Mrs. Fidelia Njoe Eze, Comrade Peter Chime, Dr. (Mrs.) Obie Aji, Dr. Chidoze Mwafo, Engr. Iman Eke, and Rt. Hon. Eugene Odo, who serves as secretary.

Meseko further announced that the APC Reconciliation Committee, headed by former interim national chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, will be inaugurated soon, alongside the timetable for the party’s ward, local government, and state congresses.

He also revealed that public hearings on the APC constitution amendment will begin within the month, while preparations for the Anambra State campaign committee and the Osun governorship election are expected to be concluded shortly.

“The process for the amendment of our constitution will take effect very shortly, and public hearings will start sometime this month of October,” Meseko said.