The crises within Ekiti State All Progressives Congress (APC),chapter widened on Tuesday as some factional ward executives lifted the suspension placed on the former member of the House of Representatives, Hon Bimbo Daramola.
This was made known in a letter signed by eight ward executives and 26 other leaders of APC, Ire ward II, in Oye Council Area of the state, said they took the action to save the APC from internal implosion, in view of the immense popularity Daramola mustered in the Ward.
The party had on May 28, 2019 hammered suspension indefinitely on Daramola, for alleged open support for the People’s Democratic Party Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in the 2019 general elections.
In a letter dated July 19, 2020 and addressed to the Local Government and State Working Committee, the factional ward executives explained that Daramola’s suspension was null and void because it didn’t follow due process.
The letter was signed by the Vice Chairman, Adebayo Kotila; Organising Secretary, Daramola Kunle; Assistant Organising Secretary, Dada Olabisi and Welfare Officer, Florence Oguntuase.
The list also include: Assistant Legal Adviser, Felix Aderibigbe, Assistant Youth Leader, Tope Omoseebi, Ex Officio I, Ojo Jegede, ex Officio II, Femi Omotoso and 26 other party leaders.
The letter reads in part, “the imposition of the suspension on Hon Bimbo Daramola abinitio was null and void, because it didn’t follow due process.
“He has to be reabsorbed into the party, because of his relevance and we are writing the local government and State executives to continue to give him all privileges as a bonafide member of the party.
“The lifting of the suspension is with immediate effect”.
The faction Justifying their actions, ward leaders said Daramola’s suspension has created animosity in APC and that they deemed it as ill -conceived and antithetical to the reconciliation efforts of the Mallam Mai Mala Buni-led caretaker committee
“His suspension was carried out by some misguided members of the party for selfish interest. The members that carried out the suspension didn’t follow due process and the party’s constitution.
“Again, Daramola was not given fair hearing and his suspension not in the best interest of the party”.
Responding, Daramola described the action as pleasant, saying it came as a surprise to him.
“It saddened my heart that my own ward would claim it had suspended me when I was not called to defend myself. I didn’t believe I was suspended in the first instance.
“The person who claimed to have suspended me didn’t live in our Ward. There were a lot of discrepancies and irregularities in the suspension and I salute my people for standing up to correct it”.
But responding to the lifting of the suspension, the APC State Publicity Secretary, Hon Ade Ajayi, described the action as illegal, saying it was illicitly done by those who were not recognised by the party.
He said those who lifted the suspension lacked the moral responsibility and locus standing to carry out such ‘hatchet job”.
“The SWC don’t recognise those who lifted the suspension. Such action must be ratified by the council and the State. They didn’t follow due process and it is null and void.
“We are not against lifting of suspension on any erring member, but it has to follow due process,” he stated.
