By; OLADELE ADEDAYO, Ado-Ekiti
The hope of the Ekiti State House of Assembly Deputy Speaker, Hon. Hakeem Jamiu to secure second term bid seemed to have been shattered as some aggrieved members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Saturday stormed the party Secretariat in Ado-Ekiti, besieged the state capital to express their anger over alleged plot by the party leadership to impose him on them.
The party members from Irepodun/Ifelodun State Constituency II, accused the State Working Committee, led by Hon. Paul Omotoso of working in cahoots with some people in government to foist Jamiu, whom they branded as unpopular on APC.
Jamiu, who hails from Igbemo-Ekiti, is a serving lawmaker in the State Assembly, representing Irepodun/Ifelodun Constituency II.
The spokesperson of the protesters from Jamiu’s constituency and former Chairman, Irepodun/Ifelodun Council, Hon. Kayode Ojo, and others, who flaunted placards to depict their opposition to the move, posited that any imposition would be tantamount to flouting the entrenched rotation policy in the constituency.
Ojo said: “The purpose of this protest is to let our party know that it can’t afford to impose Hon Hakeem Jamiu, someone who is widely deemed to be unpopular on all of us, unless we want to lose to opposition.
“Again, we have unwritten rotation policy among Igbemo, Iworoko, Are, Afao/Araromi Obo wards that we should rotate this assembly seat, and that we have been doing faithfully. We don’t know the motive behind attempt to impose the lawmaker at all costs.
“We are also saying that why the choice of Hakeem Jamiu? What has he done to deserve a second term? Why Igbemo Ekiti again that had occupied the seat six times when other wards have not occupied it for once?
“Our party should go and gauge the mood of the people in that constituency, they don’t want Jamiu any longer. He has offended so many people.
“This is not hatred against anybody, but a sincere concern for our party. So, if it is going to be Igbemo at all cost, the party shouldn’t impose Jamiu. They should allow free and fair primary. That is our humble demand”, he stated.
While exonerating the party of complicity in the alleged imposition plot, the APC State Publicity Secretary, Segun Dipe, said the party was not considering such plan, describing it as a baseless and unfounded accusation.
Dipe, however, added that the party and those opposed to Jamiu have no right to stop the Deputy Speaker from reconstesting, saying it is within lawmaker’s constitutional right .
“We are not going to impose anybody. We are not planning to impose. The party will conduct free and fair primary, but we won’t stop Hon. Hakeem Jamiu from seeking a second term, it is his right.
“Again, among all the towns in that constituency, Igbemo Ekiti is the most steadfast and consistent with the progressive party. So, if the party says we should allow the seat to remain in the town, it has a cogent reason for that.
“We are running a disciplined party and these protesters should allow peace and concentrate their energies on how we can win, because we are not planning any imposition”, Dipe clarified.
The APC has been enmeshed in crisis in the last two weeks over alleged plot to to impose some serving lawmakers seeking reelection.
Meanwhile, similar protests were also staged by some leaders in Ido/Osi constituencies I and II against surreptitious plots to impose some aspirants in the area against the popular will of the people.
However, last week, some notable members of the party in Ekiti West Constituency 1, including former APC State Chairman, Hon Jide Awe, narrowly escaped attack at Erinjiyan Ekiti, after affirming reelection of the present occupant of the seat, Hon Tajudeen Akingbolu.
