The All Progressives Congress in Ekiti State has urged members across the state to eschew divisive tendencies and make sure that the party is more inclusive and consultative across the board in reaching key decisions that affect all members.
The party assured that “all elective party positions prescribed by the Constitution of the APC, 2014 (as amended) shall for the purposes of the congresses be filled by democratically conducted elections subject and consensus where possible”.
Ekiti State APC, in a communique at the end of its Stakeholders meeting which held on Friday and made available in Ado Ekiti on Monday, encouraged women to indicate interest in elective positions through a reduction in the cost of nomination forms for them by 50 per cent.
But the loyalists of a former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu, in the party in the state expressed resentment over how they were allegedly ostracised from attending the stakeholders’ meeting convened by the Ekiti APC, saying they were not invited.
APC chieftain and National Leader of pro-Tinubu group, South West Agenda for 2013, Senator Adedayo Adeyeye, told journalists that he and top members of the group were precluded from the meeting.
Adeyeye said, “I was not invited. I don’t know anything about the meeting. I didn’t get invitation from anyone”.
APC leadership in the state and the South West Agenda members have been having running battles which have culminated in the suspension of no fewer than three leaders of the pro-Tinubu group.
However, the APC State Caretaker Chairman, Paul Omotoso, who signed the communique of the stakeholders’ meeting, said that it was called, among others, to review the state of APC in Ekiti State.
He said the essence of the meeting was aimed at promoting and fostering the unity, stability and consciousness of party members.
He said, “Only fully registered and financial up to date members of the party shall have the right to vote and be voted for into any of the elective positions.
“Congresses shall be conducted in compliance with APC affirmative action policy.
“Specifically, positive steps shall be taken to increase the participation and representation of women and differently abled persons in different party structures.
“Accordingly, all women and differently abled people shall only pay 50 per cent of the cost of the nomination forms for any position being contested,” he said.
The party barred members currently holding elective or appointive positions in government or in the service of Ekiti State Government from contesting election to any APC position.
