
The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti state, Barrister Paul Omotoso on Friday visited Ijero Local Government Area, alongside members of his excos to hold strategic meeting and reconcile aggrieved leaders and stakeholders within its fold.
The Chairman, in his opening remarks, said pacifying the aggrieved members became imperative so that the party would approach the forthcoming elections with a united front.
He explained to the gathering why they should put the past behind them and work as a team for the victory of the party and all its candidates.
He said, “We should have the interest of the party at heart and not the interest of any of the candidates, because none of the candidates is representing him or herself. They are all representing APC and as a party faithful, we should put the past behind us and focus on the larger picture which is the party itself”.
In their response, one of the aggrieved members hinged their grievances on the alleged denial of second term ticket for the lawmaker representing Ekiti Central Federal Constituency II, Hon. Wumi Ogunlola, and demanded to know the crime committed by the serving member of the National Assembly.
Reacting to the allegation, Barrister Omotoso said the party had nothing against Hon. Wunmi Ogunlola. On the contrary, he said the party is proud of Ogunlola and would continue to support her. He, however, explained that the same structure and proccess that produced Ogunlola in 2019, also produced another Candidate in 2023.
“None of you alleging that Hon. Ogunlola was denied second term ticket now knows how the party structure picked her in 2019 for the current ticket. If the same structure that produced Ogunlola back then, picked another person to go and represent the interest of the party now, that shouldn’t create any problem. I was a party to both processes and l can tell you that we acted in the best interest of the party”, he added.
Omotoso again appealed to the aggrieved members to shealth their sword, saying the party’s interest is sacrosanct and should be respected.
At the end of the meeting, everyone present applauded the leadership of the party for their intervention and resolved to work in unison for the party to coast home to victory during the elections.
The meeting was attended by major leaders and stakeholders from Ijero LGA including the candidate of the party for Ekiti Central Federal Constituency II, who is from Ijero local government, Hon. Biodun Omoleye. Omoleye used the opportunity to address his teeming followers and promised them that better representation awaits them if elected to the National Assembly.
Omotosho declared the meeting closed by asking everyone present to rise and share the grace together.