Ekiti APC crisis: El-Rufai peace committee yet to act one month after inauguration

The governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna state reconciliation committee set up to resolve the lingering crisis in the Ekiti state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has not commenced sitting, more than a month after its inauguration.

The committee headed by the Kaduna state governor was inaugurated on September 28th with the sole aim of bringing warring members in the state chapter together for the party to have a more united front.

Other members of the six-member team are the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representative, Idris Wase; former governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha; Jaafaru Isa; former Lagos military governor, Buba Marwa, and Ini Morga, who is the committee’s secretary.

The crisis in the party was recently well pronounced when the state working committee acting on the report of a disciplinary committee announced the suspension of some party leaders, including the Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Political Matters, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, Hon. Oyetunde Ojo, an in-law to APC National leader, Bola Tinubu and eight others.

In a swift reaction to the suspension, the aggrieved leaders including Senator Dayo Adeyeye, Senator Tony Adeniyi, Ojudu and others announced the suspension of the governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi over alleged anti-party activities.

Sensing the implication of the suspensions on the party, the National Caretaker Committee cancelled both suspensions and set up the Governor El Rufai reconciliation committee to put an end to the crisis.

However, according to findings by Tribune Online, the committee is yet to meet nor invite the gladiators in the Ekiti state chapter of the party over a month after its constitution.

It was gathered that the committee has not been able to achieve any significant success in its assignment.

A source in the national secretariat of the APC said the party could not determine what is delaying the committee from going about the assignment before them.

” We cannot explain what is really happening as regards the committee the party set up to resolve the crisis in Ekiti. We have not heard anything from them and time is of the essence because our party cannot afford to have a divided house especially now that 2022 governorship poll is around the corner.

” We know there is a crisis in Ekiti APC and that is why the peace committee was constituted with experience and competent leaders of the party,” the source told our correspondent.

Speaking with our correspondent, a chieftain of the party, Mr Johnson Adeola noted that the party must be alive to its responsibility in achieving peace in the state.

Adeola expressed doubt in the ability of the committee headed by Governor El-Rufai to end the feud, saying the leadership of the committee has not shown, ” that they are ready to end the crisis in Ekiti APC.”

According to him, ” What we are witnessing now is not a surprise to me because the moment we see the committee and the chairman, we know that is the hand of Esau and voice of Jacob. We have been vindicated now that over one month, the committee has not met not to talk of inviting the parties to the crisis. Is that the way to achieve peace?

” I hope you saw events in the last few days as regards the committee chairman and governor Fayemi. That is the beginning of the game for 2023 and is that the man you are expecting to come to Ekiti and resolve the crisis dispassionately? I doubt it because his friend is at the centre of it.

” We can always continue to beg the leadership of the party to save the Ekiti APC from collapse because of the crisis is not properly handled, it might have an adverse effect on the fortunes of the party especially the 2022 governorship poll. The reality on the ground speaks for itself.”

When contacted, Senator Ojudu noted that the committee is yet to get in touch with him as regards the crisis in the party, saying he is ready for genuine reconciliation for the party to stand a chance in future elections.

Ojudu said, ” I have not been contacted on the Ekiti APC crisis by the reconciliation committee. Like I said before, I am ready for genuine reconciliation because APC is our party.”

When asked on what might be the reason for the committee’s failure to get down to business, the presidential aide noted, ” I don’t know why they are yet to do anything after a month.”

The APC Publicity Secretary in the state, Mr Ade Ajayi said the committee had not visited the state, saying they were still expecting the peace panel.

” They are yet to come to Ekiti. We are still expecting the committee,” he said.

On his part, the Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena told Nigerian Tribune on Tuesday that the committee is yet to submit its report to the party on the assignment given to them.

He said, ” The committee is yet to get back to us on the work given to them on Ekiti APC crisis. We are still expecting them.”

Nabena, however, said the EndSARS protest and the attendant crisis might have caused the delay of the committee from embarking on the mission of reconciling aggrieved party members in the Ekiti chapter of the party.