BY REBECCA AJANI
SPECIAL Adviser on Political Matters to President Muhammadu Buhari, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, has accused Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State of removing his Ado Ward 8 Chairman of the All Progressives Congress for identifying with the South West Agenda (SWAGA).
Ojudu described the removal of the Chairman, Clement Afolabi, as illegal and unacceptable, adding that it was an assault on the right of citizens to freedom of association as stated in the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
SWAGA is a group within the APC, led by former Minister of Works, Senator Adedayo Adeyeye, which is gathering support for the National Leader of the party, Bola Tinubu, ahead of the 2023 presidential election.
The APC in Ado Local Government had earlier summoned Afolabi to appear before a disciplinary committee over allegations of anti-party activities.
The ward chairman was said to have blackmailed the current administration in Ekiti and declared himself as the coordinator of a group considered unauthorised within the party (SWAGA).
Ojudu, who spoke with journalists in Ado Ekiti, indicated that it was illegal for the party to remove its ward chairman for identifying with a group within the same party.
He argued that Afolabi did no wrong within the party’s legal framework, noting that his removal was an act of dictatorship in a democracy.
“How can you sanction a party man for identifying with the ambition of a member of his party? This fellow is a member of our party and he chose to go with Tinubu. What is wrong with that? What intolerance? This is a dictatorship and not a democracy,” Ojudu said.
“We shall assist this individual to fight this assault on his right to the highest court in the land. I am shocked that this is happening under the watch of Dr. Fayemi. He should realise that although he is in power today, he will not be there tomorrow. I am really peeved. You are sacking a guy for identifying with Tinubu? It is a shock and I just couldn’t understand why you and our party in the state should go this low,” he added.
