Ondo APC crisis deepens as party’s youth protest imposition

Some youths in the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Thursday took to the streets in Akure, Ondo state to protest against alleged imposition of candidates by the party leaders.

The protest, it was learnt, kicked off following the list of screened national assembly aspirants released by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party.

The decision, they said, could spell doom for the party ahead of the 2019 general elections.

The party’s youth leader in the state, Babalayo Olutayo, accussed the national leadership of the party of not creating a level playing ground for all aspirants.

“We are saying no to imposition, we are saying no to automatic ticket to any aspirants, there must be a room for everybody to be accommodated. We don’t want criminality and impunity in our party; we ask for change and this is not the change we asked for.

“When Adams Oshiomhole took over the leadership from John Odigwe-Oyegun, we taught everything will change for good but things are getting worse towards unbearable condition.

“Oshiomhole has not really helped us. If you go to the APC constitution, article 20 states clearly that party primary must go direct, indirect and consensus; there is no room for automatic ticket in our constitution and we want to know how the leadership came about the automatic ticket.

“Youths of Ondo State are clamouring now that we don’t want any automatic ticket to any aspirants, the leadership should allow everybody to contest, Ondo state is not a place Oshiomhole can use as testing ground. In view of this, we are saying no. Oshiomhole has betrayed us, the majority have said no to the minority because power belongs to everybody.

“We will not allow any party primary to take place if that is not reversed in Ondo state. We are passing a vote of no confidence on Oshiomhole,” he said.

Meanwhile, the other faction of the party led by Senator Ajayi Borofice also told Daily Trust today that the camp protesting are the supporters of Governor Akeredolu who should be accused of imposition, saying “it is a case of pot calling kettle black.”