Ondo Elders call for reconciliation as APC gives Kekemeke seven days to resign

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State, on Tuesday, gave its suspended Chairman, Mr Issac Kekemeke, seven days to resign over alleged misconduct.
The ultimatum followed the recommendation of the three-member fact-finding committee headed by Mr Abayomi Adesanya, constituted by the party to investigate crisis in the party.
The report of the committee was submitted to the State Executive Committee (SEC) of the party in Akure.
The SEC had on June 1 passed a vote-of-no-confidence on Kekemeke, suspended him immediately and appointed Chief Ade Adetimehin as acting chairman.
The report of the committee said that it was satisfied with the uncontroverted evidence of the witnesses in the matter.
“The evidences were thorough, coherent, straightforward, cogent, compelling and very convincing.
“However, the committee recommends, that in the spirit of reconciliation and party unity, Mr D.I. Kekemeke should resign within seven days as the chairman of APC in Ondo State.
“This will be from the date of submitting and adoption of this report by the State Executive Committee.
“Where he fails and refuses to voluntarily resign within the time limit, his action or inaction should be taken as removal from office, in pursuant to Article 21(D) (I) (e) of the APC Constitution as amended.”
Meanwhile, the Ondo State Elders Council of the party has called for reconciliation among all warring groups in the party.
A statement by the elders said it was important to wrestle the APC from its current state of disunity, mutual distrust and rudderless position.
The statement signed by Sen. Farukanmi Olorunnimbe, Chairman of the council in Akure on Tuesday said that the APC needs a strong executive council to lead it to victory in 2019 general elections.
Olorunnimbe said that the council would intervene to end the ongoing drift, and urged members to unite and provide very strong support to Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu to deliver on his promises to the electorate.
“It is, therefore, most embarrassing that the APC state executive is in disarray since the completion of the Nov. 26, 2016 gubernatorial election.
“The role which the executive of the APC in Ondo State should play in strengthening of the administration of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu has been neglected, and this is most unfortunate.
“Let us strive to ensure and facilitate a process of re-organisation, re-branding and re-positioning of our great party to face emerging challenges.
“All members of APC in Ondo State must rally round and reconcile, so that we can face future elections as a united team,” he said.
The chairman of the elders council advised the governor to look into the grievances of some members of the party executive, to bring about necessary solution.
He urged APC leaders in the South West to consult regularly, so as to know what was going on in the party.
Olorunnimbe complained that the state had been neglected in terms of appointment by the Federal Government and called for change.
 
“In a view of the massive support given by us in the election of President Muhammadu Buhari, our state has been totally neglected in the appointment into national positions,” he said.