Some aggrieved leaders of the All Progressives Congress in Arigbajo ward, Ewekoro Local Government Area of Ogun State have kicked against the alleged imposition of a candidate on the ward.
The PUNCH reports that party leaders wrote a petition against the move to the state party Chairman, Yemi Sanusi, and other leaders in the state by their solicitor, Lekan Ojo and Associates.
The party ward leaders also appealed to the state Governor, Dapo Abiodun, and other chieftains of the party to wade into the crisis as a result of the alleged imposition of a candidate on them.
According to the petition titled ‘Complaint against acts of imposition of councillorship candidate and conduct likely to cause crisis in the APC, Arigbajo Ward,’ the ward leaders said the announcement of one Mr. Anisere as the councillorship candidate of the ward contrary to the majority candidate Mr. Stephen Eleyowo, could spark crisis if not immediately addressed.
At a meeting held at the party secretariat in Arigbajo on May 17, 2021, the party ward leaders nominated Eleyowo as a councillorship candidate for Arigbajo to the dissatisfaction of a party leader, Bamidele Obadina who nominated Anisere.
The petition read: “We are also briefed that upon the dissatisfaction of Obadina and his consequent moves to overturn the nomination, the leadership of the party at the council intervened and directed that an election be conducted to determine the candidate, however, this process was disrupted when it was found that three of the voters nominated by Obadina were not eligible to vote in that election.
“Consequent upon the failure of the conduct of the election, it was our belief that the leadership of the party at the state level intervened and directed that the three most important ward leaders would determine the candidate and as such picked Hon. Gbolahan Famuyiwa, Obadina and Hon. Yemisi Adeniran.
“While Obadina nominated Anisere, the other two ward leaders nominated Eleyowo on June 2, 2021 via a phone call.”
While noting that Anisere is currently serving as a legislative aide to the House of Representatives member representing Ifo/Ewekoro, Ibrahim Isiaka since 2015, the leaders said it is just and equitable to allow Eleyowo who is not occupying any political position to enjoy the mandate given to him by the ward members.
Reacting to the complaint, the APC state Publicity Secretary of the caretaker committee, Tunde Oladunjoye, said the party has begun moves to resolve all the matters.
