…. Selection of deputy governor is beyond us- Party
Some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State, under the aegis of the Concerned APC Patriots (CAP), have raised their voices against the nomination of the Deputy Governor, Mrs Monisade Afuye, as the running mate of Governor Biodun Oyebanji in the forthcoming 2026 governorship election.
The group, in a statement made available to newsmen in Ado Ekiti on Monday and signed by its convener, Mr Joshua Ademola, said that Afuye’s nomination was like “putting a square peg in a round hole” because she lacks the capacity of the office of the deputy governor.
The APC Group noted that most, if not all, the critical functions that should be performed by the deputy in the absence of the governor, including representing Oyebanji at the various meetings in Abuja, are either delegated to other officers of government or left unattended.
“We are of the view that in a state renowned for being one that parades the most educated people, it has become embarrassing that someone whose educational qualifications are questionable is being paraded as the deputy governor.
“We believe that Afuye’s current election as deputy governor was a mistake which should not be allowed to repeat itself by making sure a more educated and capable individual is nominated to replace her.
“She has been a liability to the administration in the last three years, with no positive contribution as expected from the deputy governor, which has been unsettling to the party and government.
“The position of a deputy governor is so strategic, apart from being a co-pilot with the governor; he/she can become governor in the absence of the governor, which is why the party cannot afford to nominate an unfit person for the position.
“We must state that we are not opposed to nominating another woman, and we are not opposed to a nomination zoned to Ekiti South Senatorial District, nor are we opposed to micro-zoning the position to Ikere Ekiti.”
They warned that nominating Afuye could have devastating adverse consequences for the party in the coming election, saying that now that the primary election is fast approaching, the party must begin scouting for Afuye’s replacement.
Reacting to the statement, the APC publicity Secretary, Segun Dipe, disagreed with the group and said Afuye is competent for the position.
Dipe said: ” What they are asking for is not possible because our current deputy governor is very competent, reliable and loyal. From the APC, we trust her, and we couldn’t have wished for a better deputy governor for our performing governor.
“By the way, it is not the party that selects the deputy governor, it is beyond us”, the party’s publicity Secretary said.
