By: Ade Phillips
As all isn’t well with the ruling All Progressives Congress in Ondo State, also the governorship aspiration of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa is draped in a legal suit dangling in uncertainty, Starnews NG can report.
The aftermath of the APC primary election had engendered a litigation calling for the nullification of the exercise that named Aiyedatiwa the Governorship candidate of the party.
The Senator representing Ondo South Senatorial District, Chief Jimoh Ibrahim, who is a strong Contender in the contest, had approached the court, praying for the outright nullification of the primary election, claiming no election was held in the state.
The plaintiff, through his team of lawyers led by Chief Chris Uche, SAN, maintained that the party acted in breach of sections 221, 228 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, as well as section 84 of the Electoral Act, 2022.
He alleged that some delegates that would have voted for him at the primary election were deliberately not accredited to participate in the exercise, and that electoral officers did not show up while electoral materials were not available for the conduct of the election- a development he said made the primary election liable for outright cancellation.
Consequently, the plaintiff sought an order barring INEC from accepting governor Aiyedatiwa as the candidate of the APC for the Ondo state governorship election.
However, the defendants in the suit are: the All Progressives Congress, Governor Aiyedatiwa and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Starnews NG gathered that assiduous efforts by the leadership of the party to placate and halt Ibrahim from proceeding with the court case were fruitless as the Ondo South Senator was said to have gathered “overwhelming evidences” against the defendants.
Meanwhile, there was confusion in the state a few days ago when the suspension and counter-suspension of Senator Jimoh rocked the party.
From the beginning, the Executives of the Igbotako Ward II, in a letter after the end of their meeting, had suspended the Senator for his actions and activities, which they said, violated the party’s Constitution.
They also cited that the suit instituted by Jimoh against the APC, Aiyedatiwa, as well as his involvement in anti-party activities influenced their decision to suspend the Senator from the party.
The letter partly read, “We, the members of the APC Executive Committee of Igbotako Ward II in Okitipupa Local Government Area of Ondo State, convened meeting on Monday, May 13th, 2024, during our meeting, we deliberated extensively on various issues affecting the progress and development of our party, notably indiscipline and insubordination among some members,
“We have found Senator Jimoh Ibrahim’s actions and activities to be in violation of the party’s constitution, particularly his decision to sue the party as well as his anti-party activities. As such, we have resolved to take appropriate disciplinary action against him as outlined in the party’s constitution.
“Senator Jimoh Folorunso Ibrahim is hereby suspended from the All Progressives Congress (APC) with immediate effect for acts of insubordination and anti-party activities In accordance with Article 21, Section A of APC Constitution.
“It is worth recalling that the National Party Chairman of APC, Alhaji Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, met with all Ondo State governorship aspirants on April 25th, 2024, in Abuja. During the meeting, he urged them to cooperate with the party’s candidate and incumbent Governor of Ondo State, Honourable Lucky Ormisan Aiyedatiwa.
Starnews NG reports that in less than three hours the Senator was suspended from the party, an action that exhilarated the supporters of Gov. Aiyedatiwa, the same executives members of the party in Igbotako ward II led by its chairman issued a vote of confidence in Senator Jimoh.
The statement issued at the end of the recent meeting reads in parts: “At the general meeting of Igbotako Ward 2 held on Thursday 9th May 2024, at 4pm, we reviewed the fraudulent election of Saturday 20th April 2024 and resolved as follows:
“That no election took place at Igbotako Ward 2 and indeed all the other wards in Okitipupa Local Government Area;
“That we are surprised to see votes allotted to contestants by the Ododo-led Committee;
“We hereby pass a vote of absolute ‘Confidence’ in our leader Senator Jimoh Ibrahim PhD, CFR.”
Aside, seven of the governorship hopefuls who contested in the disputed primary election have thrown their weight behind Governor Aiyedatiwa.
Morayo Lebi, Dayo Faduyile, Soji Ehinlanwo, Diran Iyantan, Mayowa Akinfolarin, Funmilayo Waheed-Adekojo, and Jimi Odimayo jointly announced their endorsement of Governor Aiyedatiwa in a statement released in Akure on Thursday.
They cited the importance of unity and the party’s success in the upcoming November 16 election as reasons for their decision.
Starnews NG can report that the deepening crisis of the Ondo APC took a new dimension on Friday following the news of the suspension of the chairman of Igbatako ward II in Okitipupa LGA.
Mr Adetokunbo Omotola’s suspension may not be unconnected with his loyalty to Senator Jimoh and the controversy surrounding the Lawmaker’s suspension and counter suspension.
Some Lawyers who spoke with Starnews NG under anonymity said Gov Aiyedatiwa may not be on the ballot in the November 16, 2024 if Senator Jimoh is hell-bent to pursue the case to the level of Supreme Court. They opined that the Zamfara scenario may likely play out in Ondo State if APC fails to put its house in order.
Starnews NG reports that the genesis of the crisis was due to failure by the leadership of the party to conduct a credible and transparent primary.
The alleged suspension of the senator was also a costly mistake which degenerated into hostility and deepened the crisis.
Apart from the court case and rejection of the governor’s candidacy by Senator Jimoh, which threatened the chances of APC ahead of the election, the duo of Olusola Oke and Wale Akinterinwa have also maintained a definite culture of silence, amid threat by their followers to sabotage the governor’s ambition in November 16.
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