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Tag: Ekiti APC

  • Ekiti APC adopts direct primary

    •Shadow poll holds today

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State has bowed to the wishes of some of its aspirants and members asking for direct primaries to elect its National Assembly candidates.

    The party said the primaries for the three Senate and six House of Representatives tickets will hold today in the 177 wards of the state.

    In a statement yesterday in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, by its Publicity Secretary, Adebowale Ajayi, Ekiti APC said the directive to conduct the National Assembly shadow polls through direct primaries came from its national secretariat in Abuja.

    Angry aspirants and their supporters, on Monday, stormed the state secretariat at Ajilosun area of Ado-Ekiti, kicking against the plan by the state leadership of the party to use the indirect primary mode.

    During the violent protest, the party’s main signpost and flags were vandalised.

    But the police quelled the protest.

    The protesters claimed that an indirect primary was a ploy to impose candidates and prevent party members from having a say in the choice of candidates.

    The indirect primary was to hold yesterday at Great Eagle Hall, Ajebamidele, Ado-Ekiti, before the directive from APC national headquarters.

    Policemen and men of the Department of State Services (DSS) were on guard at the venue earlier in the day in anticipation of the primary, which was later shelved.

    In the statement, Ajayi said: “The Ekiti State chapter of the APC will now hold its long-awaited National Assembly primary on October 4 in all the 177 wards across the state.

    “The National Working Committee (NWC) had directed that the mode of the elections would be by direct primary.

    “We, therefore, enjoin all genuine party members to participate in the exercise.”

    Senatorial aspirants cleared to contest in Ekiti North are: Senator Olubunmi Adetunmbi, Dr. Olusegun Osinkolu, Mr. Cyril Fasuyi, Mr. Femi Ajepe, Mr. Kayode Otitoju and Mr Oladipupo Bamise.

    Senator Ayo Arise has announced his withdrawal from the Ekiti North senatorial race.

    Incumbent Senator Fatimat Raji Rasaki and former House of Representatives member, Mr. Opeyemi Bamidele, were cleared to contest in Ekiti Central.

    Former Minister of State for Works, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, was the only aspirant cleared to run in Ekiti South.

     

  • Ekiti APC to elect NASS candidates by indirect primaries

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State will elect its National Assembly candidates through indirect primaries.

    The party’s Publicity Secretary, Mr. Ade Ajayi, who disclosed this to our reporter on Monday, said the fate of the senatorial and House of Representatives candidates will be determined by delegates.

    Ajayi disclosed that Senate primaries will be held on Tuesday, October 2 in the three senatorial districts while House of Representatives primaries will follow on Wednesday, October 3 in the six federal constituencies.

    The House of Assembly primaries, according to him, will hold on Friday, October 5 in the twenty six state constituencies.

    Senator Ayo Arise, Senator Olubunmi Adetunmbi, Dr. Olusegun Osinkolu and Sir Kayode Otitoju are slugging it out for the senatorial ticket in Ekiti North.

    It will be a straight fight between incumbent Senator Fatimat Raji Rasaki and former House of Representatives member, Hon. Opeyemi Bamidele in Ekiti Central while Prince Dayo Adeyeye has emerged as consensus candidate in Ekiti South.

    Meanwhile, the Ekiti APC has inaugurated the chairmen of its sixteen local government chapters with a charge to ensure victory in all the forthcoming elections.

    The state APC Chairman, Mr. Paul Omotoso, who performed the inauguration at the party secretariat in Ado-Ekiti, said the party must maintain its winning streak which started with the governorship poll in the fast approaching general elections.

    The APC chair charged them to disciplined, law abiding and obedient to the party constitution in the discharge of their duties as party bosses in the grassroots.

    Omotoso also urged them to be committed, dedicated and loyal to the governor-elect, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, and other leaders of the party.

    He stressed the need for the party chairmen in the 16 LGs to embark on aggressive membership drive and mobilisation of members ahead of the Presidential and National Assembly elections.

    Omotoso further advised them to be attending meetings regularly and update their members on happenings in the party.

    The inaugurated APC LG chairmen are Clement Ojo (Ekiti East), Idowu Isaac (Ise/Orun), Olabode Oladipo (Ilejemeje), Oluwole Bolarinwa (Emure), Matthew Oni (Ikole), Tokunbo Akinyeye (Gbonyin), Olajide Felix (Ekiti Southwest) and Michael Akinleye (Ado).

    The rest are Olu Aladeloye (Ekiti West), Kayode Oyebode (Ikere), Opeyemi Ogundele (Irepodun/Ifelodun), James Awe (Ijero), Oluwafemi Adeyeye (Moba), Adewumi Aina (Ido/Osi) and Olumide Adeyanju (Oye).

     

  • 2019: Ekiti APC members affirm Buhari’s candidacy

    Members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State have affirmed the candidacy of President Muhammadu Buhari ahead of the February 16 presidential election. The direct primary was held in all the 177 wards of the state on Friday with party members trooping out in large numbers. Reports from the wards indicated that the exercise was conducted with voice votes. No voice of dissented to the President’s candidacy.

    The state APC state secretariat in Ado-Ekiti was a beehive of activities on Saturday as party electoral officers were turning in the results from the wards. State Chairman, Paul Omotoso, led other members of the executives to receive the results from the wards and supervise the collation. Collation of the APC presidential primary election was still going on at the time of filing this report on Saturday.

    Speaking on the conduct of the presidential primary, Omotoso and Publicity Secretary, Ade Ajayi, expressed satisfaction with the exercise. Omotoso said party members, with their overwhelming votes for the President, have restated their resolve in ensuring the return of Buhari to Aso Villa beyond 2019. He said the APC in Ekiti was ready to win all the available legislative seats and presidential poll in the 2019 general elections.

    “We had our presidential primary on Friday in all the 177 wards and the candidacy of President Muhammad Buhari was affirmed. You will recall that the the President had earlier been adopted as the presidential candidate during our state congress on September 15 but we have now formalised it with the conduct of a direct primary. Majority of party members voted in all the wards and we had ‘yes’ vote in all the 177 wards. The turnout was very high and party members are very happy about it.

    “That shows the acceptability of our presidential candidate to every member of the party and as much as we are doing that, there was a general resolution that all party members are determined to return President Buhari to Aso Villa come 2019. We are already collating the results from the wards for onward transmission to the APC national secretariat in Abuja in line with the guidelines and party constitution,” he said.

    Party spokesman Ajayi said: “We have wholeheartedly endorsed President Buhari which has now been formalised through affirmation and the party is now fully focused on the general elections. The large turnout in our party shows that Ekiti State is now an APC state because the PDP has gone into

  • Ekiti APC members affirm Buhari’s candidacy at primary

    .PARTY COLLATES RESULT AT SECRETARIAT

     

    Members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State have affirmed the candidacy of President Muhammadu Buhari ahead of the February 16 presidential election.

    The direct primary was held in all the 177 wards of the state on Friday with party members trooping out in large numbers.

    Reports from the wards indicated that exercise was conducted with voice vote with no voice of dissent against the President’s candidacy.

    The state APC secretariat in Ado-Ekiti was a beehive of activities on Saturday as party electoral officers were turning in the results from the wards.

    The state APC Chairman, Mr. Paul Omotoso, led other members of the executives to receive the results from the wards and supervising the collation.

    Collation of the APC presidential primary election was still going on at the time of filing this report.

    Speaking on the conduct of the presidential primary, Ekiti APC Chairman Omotoso and Publicity Secretary, Mr. Ade Ajayi, expressed satisfaction with the exercise.

    Omotoso said party members, with their overwhelming votes for the President, have restated their resolve in ensuring the return of Buhari to Aso Villa beyond 2019.

    He said the APC in Ekiti was ready to win all the available legislative seats and presidential poll in the 2019 general elections.

    Omotoso said: “We had our presidential primary on Friday in all the 177 wards and the candidacy of President Muhammad Buhari was affirmed.

    “You will recall that the the President had earlier been adopted as the presidential candidate during our state congress on September 15 but we have now formalised it with the conduct of a direct primary.

    “Majority of party members voted in all the wards and we had ‘yes’ vote in all the 177 wards

    Read Also: Buhari has stabilized Nigerian economy – Presidential support committee

    “The turnout was very high and party members are very happy about it.

    “That shows the acceptability of our presidential candidate to every member of the party and as much as we are doing that, there was a general resolution that all party members are determined to return President Buhari to Aso Villa come 2019.

    “We are already collating the results from the wards for onward transmission to the APC national secretariat in Abuja in line with the guidelines and party constitution.

    “Further to this as a party, we have also resolved to embark on aggressive, massive and meaningful mobilisation drive for the party in Ekiti State.

    “We are fully ready for the presidential election and State and National Assembly elections. We are optimistic of winning all elections in Ekiti.”

    Party spokesman Ajayi said: “We have wholeheartedly endorsed President Buhari which has now been formalised through affirmation and the party is now fully focused on the general elections.

    “The large turnout in our party shows that Ekiti State is now an APC state because the PDP has gone into oblivion.“

  • 2019: Ekiti APC gets consensus Assembly candidates

    THE All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State is set for the House of Assembly election on March 2 with consensus candidates.

    Ekiti APC leaders and members have adopted the candidates by consensus to fly the party’s flag in the Assembly poll.

    A party leader, who spoke in confidence, said the party’s constitution allows for consensus candidates.

    The Assembly’s flag bearers were adopted on the basis of their loyalty to the party, pedigree, experience, gender and religious balancing as well as political factors of their constituencies.

    The party leader said: “The adoption of Assembly candidates by Ekiti APC is aimed at ensuring that loyal party members make it to House of Assembly and others interested but who are not lucky are not allowed to waste time, money, resources and energy.”

    Only two of the 26 candidates adopted by Ekiti APC have legislative experience.

    They are: former Majority Leader Funminiyi Afuye (Ikere 1) and the present Minority Leader Gboyega Aribisogan (Ikole 1).

    Afuye also served as Commissioner for Information and Inter-Government Affairs and Integration.

    Four of the candidates, who are women, are: former Commissioner for Labour and Human Capital Development Mrs. Bunmi Adelugba (Emure); former Special Assistant on Media to the Deputy Governor Mrs. Yemisi Ayokunle (Ekiti Southwest 1); former Special Assistant to the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Kemi Balogun (Ado 2) and former Personal Assistant to the Deputy Governor Princess Teju Okuyiga (Gbonyin).

    Also adopted as consensus candidates are: former Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Governor on Research and Documentation Mr. Hakeem Jamiu (Irepodun/Ifelodun 2); former Permanent Secretary, Government House and Protocol Mr. Akin Oso (Ido/Osi 2); former Chairman, Ekiti East Local Government Area Mr. Lateef Akanle (Ekiti East 2) and former Caretaker Chairman, Ekiti West Local Government Area Mr. Tajudeen Akingbolu (Ekiti West 1).

    Others are: Mr. Oluwatoyin Lucas (Ado 1), Mr. Babatunde Lawrence (Ikere 2), Mr. Reuben Awoyemi (Oye 1) Mr. Yemi Osuntuyi (Oye 2), Mr. Adeoye Aribasoye (Ikole 2), Mr. Abiodun Fawekun (Ido/Osi 1) and Mr. Adejuwa Adegbuyi (Ekiti East 2).

    The rest are: Mr. Johnson Adeoye (Ekiti West 2), Mr. Olatunji (Ekiti Southwest 2), Mr. Adeyemi Ajibade (Moba 1), Mr. Michael Arubu (Moba 2), Mr. Dele Ajayi (Ise/Orun), Mr. Tope Ogunleye (Ilejemeje), Mr. Ademola Ojo (Ijero) and Mr. Femi Akindele (Irepodun/Ifelodun 2).

    The APC House of Assembly primary, where the candidates will be formally affirmed by party’s delegates, will hold on October 2.

    The Assembly election will be conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) nationwide on March 2, next year.

  • 2019: Ekiti APC gets consensus Assembly candidates

    …Minority Leader, Afuye, four women among flag bearers

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State is now set for the House of Assembly election on March 2 with emergence of consensus candidates for the state parliament.

    Ekiti APC leaders and members have adopted the candidates by consensus to fly the party’s flag at the State Assembly election.

    A party leader who spoke on condition of anonymity said the party constitution allows for emergence of consensus candidates.

    The Assembly flag bearers were adopted on the basis of loyalty to the party, pedigree, previous experience, gender and religious balancing and political factors of their constituencies.

    The source said: “The adoption of Assembly candidates by Ekiti APC was aimed at ensuring that loyal party members make it to House of Assembly and others interested but who are not lucky are not allowed to waste time, money, resources and energy.”

    Only two of the 26 candidates adopted by Ekiti APC have previous legislative experience.

    They are the former Majority Leader, Mr. Funminiyi Afuye (Ikere 1) and the current Minority Leader, Mr. Gboyega Aribisogan (Ikole 1) who has been given the ticket to seek a re-election.

    Afuye also served as Commissioner for Information and Intergovernmental Affairs and Integration.

    Four of the candidates are women; they are former Commissioner for Labour and Human Capital Development, Mrs. Bunmi Adelugba (Emure); former Special Assistant on Media to Deputy Governor, Mrs. Yemisi Ayokunle (Ekiti Southwest 1); former Special Assistant to Deputy Governor, Mrs. Kemi Balogun (Ado 2) and former Personal Assistant to Deputy Governor, Princess Teju Okuyiga (Gbonyin).

    Also adopted as consensus candidates are former Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Research and Documentation, Mr. Hakeem Jamiu (Irepodun/Ifelodun 2); former Permanent Secretary, Government House and Protocol, Mr. Akin Oso (Ido/Osi 2); former Chairman, Ekiti East Local Government, Mr. Lateef Akanle (Ekiti East 2) and former Caretaker Chairman, Ekiti West Local Government, Mr. Tajudeen Akingbolu (Ekiti West 1).

    Others are Mr. Oluwatoyin Lucas (Ado 1), Mr. Babatunde Lawrence (Ikere 2), Mr. Reuben Awoyemi (Oye 1), Mr. Yemi Osuntuyi (Oye 2), Mr. Adeoye Aribasoye (Ikole 2), Mr. Abiodun Fawekun (Ido/Osi 1) and Mr. Adejuwa Adegbuyi (Ekiti East 2).

    The rest are Mr. Johnson Adeoye (Ekiti West 2), Mr. Olatunji (Ekiti Southwest 2), Mr. Adeyemi Ajibade (Moba 1), Mr. Michael Arubu (Moba 2), Mr. Dele Ajayi (Ise/Orun), Mr. Tope Ogunleye (Ilejemeje), Mr. Ademola Ojo (Ijero) and Mr. Femi Akindele (Irepodun/Ifelodun 2)

    The APC House of Assembly primary, where the candidates will be formally affirmed by party delegates, will hold on October 2.

    House of Assembly election will be conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) nationwide on March 2, 2019.

  • Ekiti APC elects Omotoso as chairman

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State has elected a new executive to pilot its affairs in the next four years.

    Former Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Paul Omotoso, was elected Chairman.

    Omotoso, a lawyer, is the immediate past Secretary in the dissolved exco.

    The new party executives were endorsed by consensus at a poll conducted on Saturday at Iyin-Ekiti.

    They were adopted by a voice vote of the delegates at a well-attended congress.

    The motion for the adoption and inauguration of the new exco was moved by Senator Ayo Arise and was seconded by Prince Dayo Adeyeye.

    Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were on hands as observers.

    The new Ekiti APC exco was inaugurated by a seven-man Committee on Ekiti State Congress, led by former Jigawa State Deputy Governor Ahmad Muhammad.

    Other members of the panel are: Mr. Chris Wigwe (Secretary), Rev. Samuel Aderoboye, Mr. Ali Othman Babagana and Mr. Chima Okafor.

    The new State Deputy Chairman is Mr. Sola Elesin; the new State Secretary is Mr. Kayode Ogunsakin and Mr. Kayode Idiowo is the Assistant Secretary.

    The three senatorial chairmen are: Chief Bankole Jekoyemi (Central), Akinbobola (South) and Evang. Ayo Kolawole (North).

  • Ekiti APC: we didn’t buy votes to win poll

    •’Fayose, PDP bought votes’

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State has denied allegations of vote-buying levelled against it by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Prof. Kolapo Olusola (Eleka).

    The party said it was in possession of documentary and electronic evidence to prove that Governor Ayo Fayose, Olusola and the PDP purchased votes from the electorate to influence the outcome of last Saturday’s governorship poll.

    The election was won by the APC flag bearer, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, who has since been declared the governor-elect by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    In a statement yesterday in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, by its Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun, APC condemned vote-buying, saying such practice should be discouraged to allow democracy grow.

    The party also urged media houses to hear all parties involved in an election, saying selective treatment of issues is a denial of fair hearing for correct public judgment.

    A statement by the party’s State Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun, praised the electorate for voting massively for Fayemi.

    It noted that the gesture would ginger Fayemi to continue with his pro-people programmes to lift Ekiti people out of poverty.

    APC denied the allegation that it engaged in vote-buying during the election.

    The party said it did not join the despicable act of inducement to con the people of Ekiti.

    “Fayose and Eleka are known for throwing tokens at our people from the resources of the state, using the instrument of government. They believe that is what their loyalty is worth and they never had any plan to lift them beyond the poverty level.

    “The return of Fayemi as governor of Ekiti State is a signal that God still answers the prayers of his people whenever they are under torture.

    “The victory signals an end to poverty, squalor and oppressive tendencies of a mindless government that shamelessly refused to pay workers their dues, yet could afford to credit the accounts of voters and some sections of workers with amounts ranging from N3,000 to N100,000, just to curry their voting favours.”

    APC accused some media houses of penchant for unfair selection of party executives to speak on pertinent matters of public interest.

    It added: “We take exception to Channels penchant for inviting PDP officials for media engagements while it calls just members of APC to address matters that would have been best handled by party officials.

    “This is not fair to our party because there are issues that are better handled by party officials instead of just members.”

    The statement stressed that APC never got itself involved in vote-buying but gave some stipends to its agents legitimately as honorarium for their services.

    It said: “The act of buying votes with the state’s resources and transacting through the accounts of government at a time arrears of salaries are not paid is a serious crime, which Fayose and Eleka have committed and which deserves condemnation by all well-meaning people of the state.

     

     

     

     

  • Ekiti APC to Fayose, Olusola: accepts people’s wishes

    THE Ekiti State All Progressives Congress (APC) has advised Governor Ayo Fayose and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate Prof. Kolapo Olusola to accept the wishes of people who gave their mandate to the governor-elect, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.

    The party also hailed President Muhammadu Buhari and other APC leaders for their unflinching support in bringing Ekiti back into progressives fold.

    The victory, Awe said, demonstrated the confidence and trust by “our people in the overall outstanding leadership of President Buhari’s APC-led administration”.

    The Ekiti State APC Chairman, Chief Olajide Awe, in a statement yesterday, said Fayemi was chosen because he was considered by the electorate as having a proven track record of performance and integrity.

    Awe, who also congratulated the deputy governor-elect, Otunba Bisi

    Egbeyemi, expressed confidence that Fayemi would bring the needed turnaround to Ekiti State, hence he needs focused leadership to translate his dreams for the state to reality.

    He expressed the gratitude to the Ekiti electorate for voting conscientiously for the party and expressed his gratitude to the good people of the state for their impressive turnout and peaceful conduct during the election exercise.

    He, however, called for calm and appealed to the opposition parties and their candidates to accept defeat in good faith.

  • Ekiti APC urges Fayose, Olusola to accept defeat in good faith

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State has advised Governor Ayo Fayose and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate,
    Prof. Kolapo Olusola, to accept the wishes of people who gave their mandate to the governor-elect, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.
    The party also praised President Muhammadu Buhari and other leaders of the party for their unflinching support in bringing Ekiti back into
    progressives fold.
    The victory, Awe said, demonstrated the confidence and trust by “our people in the overall outstanding leadership of President Buhari’s
    APC-led administration.”
    The Ekiti APC Chairman, Chief Olajide Awe, in a statement on Sunday said Fayemi was chosen because he was considered by the electorate as having a proven track record of performance and integrity.
    Awe who also congratulated the deputy governor-elect, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi, expressed confidence that Fayemi will bring the needed turnaround to Ekiti hence he needs focused leadership to translate his dreams for the state to reality.

    Read Also: Ekiti 2018: Gov. Sani-Bello congratulates Fayemi

    He expressed the gratitude to the Ekiti electorate for voting conscientiously for the party and expressed his gratitude to the good people of the State for their impressive turnout and peaceful conduct during the election exercise.
    He however called for calm and appealed to the opposition parties and their candidates to accept defeat in good faith, while seeing accepting the outcome as a no victor, no vanquished one.
    Awe said: “The APC thanks the Ekiti electorate for voting for the Party in the keenly-contested election. The Ekiti electorate has voted for the candidate of their choice, who they consider as having a proven track record of performance and integrity, and who will bring about the kind of turnaround the state needs deserves at this crucial period, through focused leadership, good governance, restoration of cherished values and multi-faceted development.”
    He assured that the Governor-elect, John Kayode Fayemi will surely be magnanimous in victory, and deliver on the expectations of the people of the state.”
    Awe commended the timely action of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), particularly, in averting the danger of the crises Fayose would have instigated by using the state owned BSES to pollute and confuse the Ekiti political space.