The JKF Movement, a political group canvassing support for the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has asked Senator Babafemi Ojudu to stop fuelling activities capable of causing divisions within the ranks of the membership of the All Progressives Congress in Ekiti State.
A statement by the group’s Publicity Secretary, Kunle Omotayo, in Ado-Ekiti, alleged that a group working for the Special Adviser in the Presidency was behind the online publication accusing Fayemi of alleged doctoring of the list of appointees into boards and commissions by President Muhammadu Buhari three days ago.
The statement condemned the accusations contained in the online publication, saying it was a calculated attempt to set APC members against the minister and cause divisions within the party.
The statement reads: “The attention of the JKF Movement has been drawn to an online report about the complaints of Senator Babafemi Ojudu and his group alleging that the Minister for Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, doctored the recently released list of Ekiti State appointees into boards and commissions in the federal ministries and agencies.
“We charge Senator Ojudu and his group to stop this unwarranted blackmail and divisive behaviour which can unnecessarily heighten tension within the party.
“Right from the moment the list was released, the Ojudu group took to the social media, pouring invectives on the Honourable Minister who they wrongly accused of putting his aides and loyalists on the list and that none of Ojudu’s supporters was on the list.
“For the avoidance of doubt, APC is one in Ekiti and the party in a press release signed by the party’s PRO had in clear terms applauded the appointments by thanking the President.
“The new appointees on the list are all eminently qualified citizens of Ekiti State and are bonafide party leaders and members.
“It is therefore an embarrassment to the eminent sons and daughters so appointed for Ojudu to condemn the process leading to their appointments instead of congratulating them.
“We all know that political appointments cannot go round at once as this is a gradual process which shall be done in phases as announced by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. It is also a fact that even if the President gives all appointments to Ekiti, it would still not go round.
“We wish to admonish Senator Ojudu to check himself and by now, he ought to have known that he is a paperweight in Ekiti politics and the earlier he stops equating himself to Fayemi who is a Minister of the Federal Republic and a former Governor on whose back he climbed to the Senate and to limelight, the better for him. Ojudu should stop biting the fingers that fed him.
“We urge those who had been deceived by Ojudu by promising them appointments to have a rethink and cooperate with the leaders of the party to forge unity as more appointments are still on the way.
“We can only achieve success as a party in the 2018 election if we form a united front and not by concocting stories to cover up unfulfilled promises to innocent party members when the person making the promise is not in a position to fulfil same.
“We congratulate all Ekiti federal appointees once again and wish our party members a happy and prosperous New Year full of glad tidings.”
Earlier on December 31, 2017, one of the loyalists of Ojudu, Dare Oguntuase, had describe the list of people from Ekiti State that were appointed into federal as: “The Ekiti List Of Shame.”
Oguntuase, who is one of the Social Media aides of Senator Ojudu, said: “The list earlier compiled and worked upon by a Committee of zonal Vice Chairmen of the party in which Chief Pius Akinyelure represented the South West, was doctored by the Minister for Steel and Minerals Resources Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.”
Oguntuase, who took to the social media on Sunday to condemn the appointments, said the earlier was fair to everyone and every community and grouping in the APC in Ekiti State.
He said prominent people such as Alhaji Gani Owolabi, Chief Okusanya, Chief Bisi Egbeyemi, Prof. Oluwasanmi, Bunmi Dipo Salami, Princess Omotunde Adelabu, Omotunde Fajuyi, Dr. Orire, Hon. Karunwi, Chief Jide Awe, Chief Taiwo Olatunbosun, Chief Muyiwa Olumilua and many others were on the list.
Oguntuase went further to state that it was when a Committee of Governors and Ministers were asked to vet the list that Fayemi went behind and doctored the list to include his senior sister, Mrs. Oloro; his domestic assistant, Kunle Dada; his friend, Ade Eniola Ajayi, who has already been made an Ambassador, and many others.
In the board appointments released by the Presidency on Friday, none of the loyalists of Special Adviser to Senator Ojudu was among the 24 people appointed in Ekiti State, Oguntuase said further.
Out of the 24 people appointed in Ekiti, 18 are from the camp of Fayemi, while the camp of the APC Deputy National Chairman (South), Chief Segun Oni, and the entire decampees from the Peoples Democratic Party got four.
The remaining two went to former Governor Niyi Adebayo and Hon. Opeyemi Bamidele.
Out of the 18 slots gotten by Fayemi’s camp, Fayemi’s elder sister, Monisola Oloro, got one, while Dr, Eniola Ajayi, who is already in Hungary as ambassador, was appointed too.