The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State has suspended the two leaders of the party in the state over alleged affiliation with the South West Agenda for 2023 (SWAGA), a political platform rooting for the rumoured presidential aspiration of the former Lagos State Governor, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The two victims, Messrs Kayode Adetifa and Jide Oso, who were APC members in Ward 9, Owaye quarters in Ayede Ekiti, Oye local government area of the state were suspended three days after the successful launch of the group in the state.
This came barely two months after the Chairman of Ward 8, Ado Ekiti local government, Mr Clement Afolabi, was slammed with suspension over a similar offence.
The letters of suspension dated May 31, 2021, stated, “We noted from your activities in the party in the recent past that you have been working against the unity of the party even to the extent of creating a parallel ward that you named “SWAGA” within the ward.
“You sent in confirmation of your action through Mr Jide Oso, a former ward chairman on 16th May 2021 to the ward that you have created another venue for this purpose.
“You as well was invited to the general Executive and leaders’ meeting on 20th May 2021 to explain your action and you confirmed that the message of Mr Jide Oso was sent by you as his principal and that you would not stop your parallel meeting for any reason.
“In view of the above reasons the general executive of the ward met 27th May 2021 and decided to suspend you for running against the party (APC) constitution till further notice,” it reads.
The suspension contained in two separate letters was signed by the ward executives, including Abejide Sola (Chairman), Bamisayo Abigeal (Women Leader), Oladipo Adekunle (Youth Leader), Fayemi Apeke (Secretary), and Oloruntoba Bosede(Treasurer).
However, responding, the APC Publicity Secretary, Mr Ade Ajayi, said the two were disciplined by party leaders for factionalising the party, denying that the suspension has nothing to do with the pro-Tinubu group.
Ajayi, who is also from Ayede-Ekiti, said the report from the Ward indicated that the two were defying the party’s orders and dividing the party through their actions.
“They were not suspended because of SWAGA. But they have been dividing the party and all efforts to rein them in failed. They were invited to defend themselves, they confirmed it and party supremacy had to come to play. Nobody is bigger than the party,” he said.