The Ekiti State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, on Thursday, rejected the appointment of a former Governor of Oyo State, Abiola Ajimobi, as the new Deputy National Chairman (South) of the party.

The party, in a statement issued in Ado-Ekiti by its State Publicity Secretary, Ade Ajayi, also described as null and void the decision of the National Working Committee, NWC, on the matter.

“Our attention has been drawn to a statement purportedly signed and released by the National Publicity Secretary of our great party, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, on March 4, in which he announced the nomination of former Oyo State Governor, Sen. Isiaka Ajimobi as the Deputy National Chairman (South), among other vacant positions.

“We wish to categorically state here that the statement is a fraudulent assertion.

“We recall that the South-West caucus of the party met in Lagos on January 31 and mandated its State Chairmen and other members of the caucus to meet and decide on the matter.

“The South-West caucus of the party met accordingly on February 4 at Osogbo, the Osun State capital and it was inconclusive.

“How can the party now issue a statement on March 4 that a decision was taken on Jan. 14?

“As far as the Ekiti APC is concerned, our nominee for the vacant position of the Deputy Vice Chairman (South) is Sen. Gbenga Aluko and we have not ceded our right to the position,” the statement said.

The party said that it is unfortunate that the NWC could still go ahead to usurp the position of NEC, which it said, was the only body empowered by the party’s constitution to ratify nomination of candidates.

“We recall that the same NWC wrote to the leadership of the South-West caucus sometimes in February to forward the name of their nominees to fill the vacant position.

“How come then that the decision for ratification was taken on January 14? Meanwhile, one should ask: whose prerogative is it to ratify the nomination? Is it that of NWC or NEC?

“From the provisions of the APC constitution, it is clear that only NEC can ratify such nominations. Suffice, therefore, to say that the purported ratification by NWC of Ajimobi’s nomination is an effort in futility,” it said.

The party also recalled that an aggrieved aspirant to the contentious vacant position had instituted an action at the Federal High Court in Ado-Ekiti, praying against any nomination or announcement of anyone to fill the vacant position, pending the determination of the suit.

According to it, all the parties to the suit have been duly served, including the office of the National Chairman.

“Issues have also been joined by parties, meaning that the principle of lis pendis is already in place.

“For anyone to go ahead to take any decision or action while the matter is pending before a court of competent jurisdiction will not only amount to overreaching the court, but contempt and nullity of the purported action and decision.

“Whatever decision taken during the pendency of the matter is also a nullity,” the party said.

It added that having considered the whole issue, it was clear that the position of deputy national chairman (south) of APC was still vacant and whatever nomination and announcement that might have been made was nothing more than a nullity and exercise futility.