The All Progressive Congress (APC) Ward Congresses which took place in all the wards in Ekiti West Local Government Area of Ekiti State held on Saturday have been hailed by the leaders of the party in the Local Government Area to be peaceful, free, fair and credible.
Speaking with PMParrot in Erijiyan Ekiti on Saturday, during the Ward Congresses, the former Ekiti State Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC), High Chief Olajide Awe stated that the exercise went well in Erijiyan Ekiti in the presence of security agents and INEC officials.
Awe stated further that the crisis resolution mechanism put in place by the party in the State has maximally resolved all likely issues that may arise from the Ward Congresses.
He said that the face-off between some known Stakeholders of the party in the State with the current State leadership won’t snowball into deepening or worsening the Party’s crisis in the State.
At the two wards in Erijiyan Ekiti, Wards 4 and 5, PMParrot observed that the process leading to the election of the new officers were orderly and rancour free. At Ward 4 of Erijiyan Ekiti, Chief Olajide Awe’s Ward, Honourable Odewale Tuyi was elected as the Ward Chairman; Honourable Adebusuyi Samuel as the Secretary; Honourable Makinde Ajibola as Treasurer; Mrs. Akingbade Beatrice as Women Leader; Ajayi Joshua as Youth Leader; Atoki Thomas as PRO; Ajibola Jide as Financial Secretary; Mrs. Dayo Awe as Organising Secretary; Alalade Rufus as Auditor and Olamiju Michael as Legal Adviser among others.
Also, Ward 5 of Erijiyan Ekiti produced Alhaji Adelegan Yisa as Ward Chairman; Ololade Dele as Secretary; Olatunbosun Emmanuel as Treasurer; Mrs. Obatola Christianah as Women Leader; Awoyelu Dele as Youth Leader; Ajayi Matthew as Financial Secretary; Jimoh Ahmed as Organising Secretary; Awoyelu Rotimi as Auditor; Olajuyigbe Kunle as PRO and Bello Sodiq as Legal Adviser.
At Ward 6 at Ikogosi Ekiti, the home town of Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), the ward Congress also took place in a peaceful atmosphere and the people of the community trooped out enmasse to show their love for their Son, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, despite the fact that he was not physically present during his Ward Congress.
In the same vein, the Councilor representing Ikogosi Ward 06 at the Legislative Arm of Ekiti West Local Government Area, Rt. Honourable Ogunkuade Oladeji while speaking with PMParrot at the venue of his Ward Congress, said his Ward Congress was very peaceful and transparent. He commended the electoral process and the people of the community for turning out enmasse to vote for their preferred candidates.
At Ward 06 in Ikogosi Ekiti, Honourable Sola Owoeye was elected as the new Ward Chairman.
Others elected included Adebayo Remi as Secretary, Akeni Dorcas as Legal Adviser, Oderinde Oluwalambe as Treasurer, Usman Olanike as Financial Secretary, Akinyemi Dorcas as Organising Secretary, Waleola Olaleke as PRO, Agbelusi Yemisi as Auditor, Mrs. Aluko Grace as Women Leader, Oluwafemi Oluwalegan as Youth Leader and Busuyi Damilola as Physically Challenged Leader.
At Aramoko Ekiti, the Honourable Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Tourism, Professor Ojo Rasak Bakare, an Aramoko Ekiti indigene, who was also on ground to monitor the Ward Congresses expressed his satisfaction with the conduct of the Congresses in his hometown.
While answering questions from PMParrot, Bakare said “everything is cool and calm in Aramoko Ekiti. The conduct of the Ward Congresses in Aramoko Ekiti went as expected. We thank God. We also thank our people for cooperating with us. The Ward Congresses recorded success all the way from Ward 01 to Ward 02 which is my Ward, JKF carried the day. We thank God for our party and we thank our people for showing maturity to ensure that there was no fight and no violence. We are happy. You can see what we are doing here. We are celebrating” he revealed.
Bakare used the opportunity to debunk the rumours and speculations going round that the outcome of the Ward Congresses in Ekiti West Local Government Area reflected polarization. He affirmed that the APC is one.
He accused those spreading speculations and rumours and talking about SWAGA or Senator Babafemi Ojudu polarising the outcome of the Wards Congresses as those trying to sow seeds of discord in APC in Ekiti State.
He assured that the APC in Ekiti State is one, united and an indivisible party without any division. He urged the APC party faithfuls in the state to maintain the spirit with which the party has been able to overcome its challenges.
Equally, the Special Assistant in charge of Public Works to the Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Oluwatayo Ojo, while speaking with PMParrot in his Ward 2 at Aramoko Ekiti, expressed his satisfaction with the peaceful conduct of the Ward Congresses at Aramoko Ekiti. According to him, “a consensus had been reached before the commencement of the ward congresses on the field. We already knew who was to get what, in our Ward 02.
He added that “we are all focused on building our Wards and felicitating with ourselves and by so doing, we are making our party more stronger than before. Our own Congress was very peaceful and well accepted and the turn out was also very impressive. Aramoko Ekiti has three Wards and the Congress took place in each of the three Wards”.
In his own reaction, the Executive Chairman of Ekiti West Local Government Area, Mr. Kareem Agunbiade, said, on the the issue of the Ward Congresses, “l have has gone through nearly all the wards in Ekiti West Local Government of Ekiti State and realised there was no problem anywhere”.
Reacting to issues of attempt to hijack the Ward Congresses in Aramoko Ekiti by Senator Babafemi Ojudu and SWAGA, the Ekiti West Local Government boss said he knew Ojudu as one of the members of APC in Ekiti State from Ado Ekiti. He said Ojudu is not from Ekiti West Local Government Area.
And on the issue of SWAGA, I don’t even know the meaning of SWAGA but used to hear it from people. Agunbiade declared that there was no group belonging to SWAGA or Senator Ojudu in his domain.
Agunbiade also assured the Ekiti APC members to be rest assured that the party in the State will not experience any turbulent legal litigations over the just concluded Ward Congresses across the State.
Packaged by Emmanuel Adeniran
