A former Minister of State for Works, Senator Dayo Adeyeye, has described Saturday’s All Progressives Congress ward congresses in Ekiti State as “a sham and unacceptable”.
Adeyeye alleged the congresses were characterised by manipulations and irregularities, which recorded one death.
The one-time spokesman of the Senate, who belongs to the South West Agenda for Bola Ahmed Tinubu 2023, spoke with newsmen on Sunday in Ado-Ekiti.
He alleged that the state government made several attempts to disenfranchise his group from partaking actively in the exercise.
Adeyeye said: “We want to believe that the Caretaker and Extraordinary National Convention Planning Committee of our party meant well when it gave the go-ahead that ward congresses should hold across the country on Saturday.
“The ward congresses purportedly took place in Ekiti but the manner of their conduct was nothing near all democratic norms.”
Adeyeye alleged that prior to the congresses, Tokan-Tokan, a group loyal to Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, had constituted a seven-man electoral committee with no input from many party stakeholders in the state.
He added: “This is even as the CECPC had earlier advised that effort should be geared towards peaceful resolution of conflicts so that the APC could birth consensus delegates across board.
“You will recall that the Ekiti Chairman of SWAGA, Senator Tony Adeniyi, had issued a statement that having consensus arrangement might not be possible in Ekiti because of the determination of the Tokan-Tokan Group to dominate and control the soul of the congresses.
“Now the consequences of the selfishness of the Tokan-Tokan group to impose their favourites on members stirs us in the face.
“As witnessed on Saturday, the presence of Independent National Electoral Commission officials was not felt at the congresses.
“In places such as Ijero, Ado-Ekiti and Oye Local Government Areas, extreme violence was visited on the people, leading to one death in Ado-Ekiti Ward 10.
“We are hereby telling the CECPC, our party members nationwide and indeed all Nigerians that there was no congress in Ekiti on Saturday.”