Ondo APC SWC cannot gag utterances of Boroffice

Mr Kayode Fakuyi, a former Coordinator of Buhari Vanguard in Ondo State and the Press Secretary to the senator representing Ondo North senatorial district, Prof Ajayi Boroffice, has declared that the State Working Committee (SWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State cannot gag the utterances of the Senator.

Fakuyi was reacting to the recent statement of the Ade Adetimehin-led State Working Committee of the party which warned Senator Boroffice over his utterances on party affairs in the State.

He said: “Well, as a matter of policy, the senator does not join issues with organs of the party, particularly any organ that is undergoing a test of legitimacy in court. The legitimacy of that committee is shaky and wobbly.

“Personally, I believe the warning was misplaced. There was no need for it. The committee also went overboard with the mention of sanction. Sanction who? It is laughable.

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“The committee said the comments were unjustifiable. Are they in any position to evaluate or grade the opinion of a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria? They can’t restrain him. They can’t gag his utterances. He will continue to freely air his opinions on issues of National importance and party politics.”

Speaking on the Adetimehin-led SWC which has the backing of the state governor, Mr Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, as the authentic leadership of APC in Ondo State, the senator’s spokesman said: “Well, I must acknowledge that there is no vacuum. I cannot also shy away from realities. Just recently, I read the position of the Mr Idowu Otetubi-led faction on a direct primary. We are all aware of a pending court case at the Federal High Court in Abuja. The SWC has ‘k-leg’. That is what we call Genu Valgum in orthopaedics. The deformity is clear. I am hopeful the court will determine the legitimate leadership of the party. The court will either straighten the ‘K-leg’ or cut it off. What if the court sacks the SWC tomorrow?

“But for me, that is not the main focus for now. Irrespective of the issues, we are all members of the same party. We need to work together for the success of APC in 2019.”

He further declared the Adetimehin-led state working committee accusation of the two-term senator of promoting division in the party as baseless.

“The accusation is baseless. He only called for peace and party cohesion. The other issue is that senator declared open support for direct primaries and the SWC is angry about that.

“Just a few days after his declaration, the National Executive Committee (NEC) of our party adopted it for all levels. It is now confirmed, direct primaries will hold in Ondo.

“About division, they are the people causing division in the party.  I have noticed a trend. For every comment of Senator Boroffice, the SWC will react with two or more different, disjointed and conflicting press statements from two different spokesmen. What clearer evidence of disunity and confusion anyone need than this? Those are the people stabbing the image of our party with the disunity that exists within the SWC. The image is bleeding heavily.

“Senator Boroffice has suffered great disrespect from them. We decided to maintain decorum in the interest of the party. We won’t descend into the gutter with them. They are mere tools of political interests so I deeply understand their fears,” he said.

Fakuyi also described the chance of Senator Boroffice re-election bid as bright.

He hailed the senator for performing more than expectations.

“Senator Borroffice is running on a record of performance. He has done so much to accelerate development in Ondo North. Perhaps, he is the only Senator in Nigeria that has achievements in all the wards. I am ready to take you round the 72 wards in Ondo North. Just recently, the National Science Laboratory was established in Akungba.

“We have Regional Headquarters for Nigerian Institute of Leather and Science Research in Ondo North. There is the Bioresources Development Centre in Iwaro. He has facilitated the construction of Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship  Centres in Oka, Ifon and Ikaram. He has built a hospital, many schools and other physical projects.

“The people will vote for continuity. Senator Boroffice is still the best man for the job,” he concluded.