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The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State has suspended its chairman, Mr Isaac Kekemeke, for anti-party activities by some members of the party.
Members immediately appointed Saka Yusuf as acting chairman, ostensibly acting the script of some aggrieved governorship aspirants of the party.
This comes barely 11 days to the party’s governorship primaries.
Supporters of some of the aggrieved governorship aspirants and leaders of the party sacked the state executive members by sealing off the party secretariat in Akure.
The crisis within the party deepened following Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s alleged endorsement of one of the 25 aspirants, who collected a nomination form.
As early as 8am, the protesters from the 18 local government areas of the state invaded and barricaded the secretariat along Oyemekun road in Akure metropolis chanting solidarity songs.
They displayed various placards which read: “State Minus Kekemeke Equals Victory; No Impostor, No Imposition, No Endorsement; Kekemeke Is A Mole in APC; APC Plus Kekemeke Equals Failure,” among others.
Spokesperson for the protesters, Tolu Babaleye, kicked against imposition of any candidate ahead of the August 27 governorship primaries.
Babaleye accused Kekemeke of enforcing the endorsement of one of the 25 aspirants of the party as the candidate in the primary poll, as being directed by their National leader, Bola Tinubu.
He said:
“Since he came back from Lagos, Kekemeke has made serious efforts to enforce the endorsement. Kekemeke openly informed the state executive committee that Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has endorsed an aspirant and has instructed him to tell the leaders and delegates.”