The Progressives Congress (APC) has suspended Segun Oni, former Govenor of Ekiti State and immediate past Deputy National Chairman (South) of the party, indefinitely.
According to a letter by the party’s executives in Oni’s Ifami Ward II, Ekiti, dated May 1, the decision was taken after Oni, accused of anti-party activities, refused to appear before them to clear his name.
“Subject to Article 21 Subsections I, II and X of the APC constitution 2014 as amended, we the undersigned executive members of the APC hereby suspend you indefinitely from our great party, based on your refusal to honour our invitation for investigation and fact finding into the allegation of anti-party activities levelled against your person by the members of our party,” read the lettter, signed by Chairman and Secretary of Ifaki Ward II, Shina Akinloye and Ogunyemi Taiwo, respectively, as well as 24 other executive members in the ward.
“We are by the copy of this letter informing both the local government and state working committee of the party for necessary information and action.”
Our source had reported on Tuesday that the party was set to suspend him, thereby compounding his woes after losing the party’s Ekiti State governorship ticket last year.
“We the executive members of the APC in Ifaki Ward II, hereby request your presence at the Ilero town hall, Ilogbe , Ifaki Ekiti to clear the allegations by members of the APC in your ward,” they had written to him.
”Kindly indicate by informing the APC chairman the convenient time and date to appear before members within the next seven days of reception of this letter.”
The letter of invitation was received on Oni’s behalf by one Segun Adetunji, on April 25.
Oni’s problem with the party began last year when he sued Kayode Fayemi, Governor of the state, and the party after the May 26, 2018 APC governorship primary.
He had challenged Fayemi’s emergence as candidate and his eligibility to participate in the election.
The former Governor had insisted that, going by the constitution of the party, Fayemi, being a Minister in the cabinet of President Muhammadu Buhari ought to have resigned his post 30 days to the primary.
He had also claimed that Fayemi was not qualified to contest, alleging that he had been found guilty of certain offences by a Judicial Panel of Inquiry set up by former Governor Ayo Fayose and which also banned him from holding public office for 20 years.
Fayose’s 10-year ban on Fayemi was, however, upturned by an Abuja High Court as well as the Appeal Court.
He later won the July 14 governorship election by defeating the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), Prof. Kolapo Olusola.
The Supreme Court also dismissed Oni’s suit for lack of merit, saying Fayemi did not breach the law by resigning after the primary.
