Youths in the All Progressives Congress in Ekiti State, under the auspices of Ekiti APC Youths Congress (EAYC), have commended the Governor Mai Mala Buni led APC Caretaker/ Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) for refusing to recognize Mr Biodun Oyebanji as candidate of the party for the June 18 governorship election in Ekiti State.
The youths said they have been reliably informed that dummy names were submitted INEC as governorship and deputy governorship candidates of the party.
According to a press release issued in Ado Ekiti on Friday, by the
youths, and jointly signed by Mr. Tope Ogunkuade and Comrade Tunji Adeleye, EAYC Convener and Secretary respectively, refusal of the national body to present Certificate of Return to Oyebanji, who they described as Governor Kayode Fayemi’s stooge, is a sign that all is yet to be heard about who the real candidate of the party is.
The youths recalled that seven out of the eight APC governorship aspirants had kicked against the primary election of January 27, 2022. They contended that the list of local government election committee and ward election committee were made up solely by party members and political appointees that had before now openly endorsed the candidacy of Oyebanji.
The aspirants were Kayode Ojo, Demola Popoola, Femi Bamisile, Bamidele Faparusi, Dayo Adeyeye, Opeyemi Bamidele and Afolabi Oluwasola. They are still protesting alleged irregularities in the conduct of party primaries, with some of them already in court.
The Ekiti APC youths said they are sure that the refusal to present Certificate of Return to Oyebanji was aimed at first resolving the complaints of the seven aspirants so as to avoid a situation where the party will suffer the same fate it suffered in Zamfara and Rivers States.
They insisted that any attempt to foist stooge of Fayemi and his wife on the party will mean that the June 18 election had been lost by the APC even before the election day.
The youths said the party leaders must have a roundtable discussion where a candidate that will be acceptable to the generality of the party members will be picked.
