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State chairmen of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Southwest zone have thrown their weight behind their sacked colleague in Ondo State, Hon. Isaac Kekemeke.
Forum of State Chairmen in the Southwest Zone, in a statement on Sunday, kicked against the sacking of Kekemeke, saying that he had worked hard for the popularity of the party across the state.
The statement was jointly signed by the following chairmen: Oladele Ajomale (Lagos), Akin Oke (Oyo), Gboyega Famodun (Osun), Jide Awe (Ekiti) and Roqeeb Adeniji (Ogun) and the Zonal Scretary Mr Ayo Afolabi.
The chairmen lamented the crisis and appealed to members not to allow fifth columnists to infiltrate the party with the aim of preventing it from winning the forthcoming election.
The forum allayed the fears that the primaries may be manipulated in favour of any particular governorship aspirant.
Th statement read:
“We like to state that the party will conduct a free, fair, open and credible primary election devoid of any interference from any quarters as was done in Kogi and Edo States.
“The State Chairman, Hon. Isaac Kekemeke, has no role whatsoever to play in the process and conduct of the primary election as the team to conduct the primary will be put together by the National Headquarters of our Party.
“Up till now, Hon Isaac Kekemeke had performed creditably well in mobilizing the party. He and his State Executive had increased and expanded the party’s acceptance to the generality of the people of Ondo State. The party will therefore not be favourably disposed to any clamour for the change of its structure and leadership at this critical time.
“We appeal to all our party members and the governorship aspirants in particular to remain calm, prevail on their individual supporters to allow peace to reign for the conduct of a transparent primary election that will usher in a candidate that will be acceptable to the generality of the people of Ondo State”.