Ekiti Election: Fayemi Denies Walking Out Of Tinubu’s Meeting

APC Governorship aspirant in Ekiti State; Kayode Fayemi (Photo File)

Fayemi Denies Walking Out Of Meeting With Ekiti APC Governorship Aspirants

Ekiti State governorship aspirant, Kayode Fayemi  has denied the allegation and insinuations that he stormed out of the All Progressives Congress (APC) meeting with party’s Ekiti governorship aspirants.

Some of the APC leaders at the meeting which held in Abuja on Tuesday, were Bola Tinubu, a national leader of the APC; Bisi Akande, pioneer chairman of the party; Segun Osoba, former Ogun state governor; Niyi Adebayo, former Ekiti state governor; and Pius Akinyelure; zonal vice chairman of the APC in the south-west.

The Minister of mines and steel left when the meeting was on break and he did not return when the party leaders reconvened for the second part. His refusal  to speak with reporters who approached him also sprang some insinuations that Fayemi had walked out of the meeting.

Ayo Arise, a former senator and an aspirant, did not also attend the second meeting.

The Minister who noted that he took permission before leaving the meeting said In a statement by Yinka Oyebode, his media aide, that he did not return because he had another meeting.

He said there was no basis for him to storm out of the meeting which was called by the leaders to proffer way forward for the party, in the face of the rescheduled Ekiti governorship primary after violence had marred the primary election of the party on Saturday.

“It is thus worrisome reading reports of purported ‘walk out’ on our leaders when nothing like that actually took place,” he said.

According to the statement, after the the botched primary, Fayemi accused Babafemi Ojudu, a presidential aide, and Bimbo Adaramola, a former member of the house of representatives, of conspiring to thwart the exercise.

Delegates from four local government areas had concluded voting when the exercise was disrupted on saturday. Fayemi said he was leading in the votes cast.

Meanwhile, Akande who spoke with journalists said the outcome of the meeting would be presented to the national working committee (NWC) of the party.

When asked if there were discussion on a consensus candidate, he said it is an option since the party’s constitution is not against it.

“Primary election is already written in our constitution but all we want is the happiness the generality of the leadership, the contestants and our party in general,” Akande said.

“We took a decision on what will be the best advantage to our party and the country. Consensus is already written in our constitution and it is an option.”

Tanko Al-Makura, governor of Nasarawa state, and chairman of the election committee, joined the second part of the the meeting.

Naija News recalls that the APC has fixed Friday, July 11 for a fresh primary for Ekiti state.