It was discovered that the meeting would be held to determine the financial and other advantages they would receive if they decided to switch alliances from the AAC to the APC.
According to information obtained by SaharaReporters, the governorship candidates who have been expelled by the African Action Congress intend to meet with Festus Keyamo, spokesman for the APC-presidential PCC’s campaign council, on Wednesday.
According to SaharaReporters, the estranged AAC candidates intend to meet with Keyamo in order to convince him of their commitment to the ruling All Progressives Congress and Bola Tinubu, the party’s presidential candidate.
Four of the party’s governorship candidates were kicked out: Iboro Otu, from Akwa Ibom; Ray Kene, from Enugu; Ahmed Aliyu, from Kwara; and Dr. David Joel Charima, from Taraba, for “gross violations of the party’s constitution.”
It was found out that
It was learnt that the meeting would be held to iron out monetary and other benefits they would get to switch alliances from the AAC to the APC.
“They have a meeting with Festus Keyamo on Wednesday. They plan to meet Keyamo to sell themselves to APC and Tinubu,” a source told SaharaReporters on Tuesday night.
The concerned state chapters of the AAC expelled the candidates after they refused to reply to queries issued to them within the stipulated period. Their actions or inactions were deemed to be “insubordination” to the party’s constitution and punishable under the same law.
Chariman of Taraba State was queried for engaging in anti-party activities but he ignored the query, prompting his expulsion.
Similarly, in Akwa Ibom State, Otu disregarded a query bordering on “gross violation of the constitution, set rules, and directives of the African Action Congress.”
The expelled candidates were “advised to desist from further transacting any business whatsoever on behalf of the Party or parading” themselves as its representatives.
Meanwhile, in a letter signed by four AAC governorship candidates, the party was asked to reconsider the punishment meted out to their colleagues.
The letter was signed by Akeem Olayiwola, Lagos; Joseph Obele, Rivers State; Olugbeja Mekunnu, Oyo; and Benjamin Ewaoche, Benue State.
The statement read in part, “We humbly wish to appeal that the four (4) Governorship Candidates. They are Iboro Otu- Akwa Ibom. Ray Kene- Enugu; Ahmed Aliyu – Kwara and Dr. David Charima of Taraba state.
“Sir, we are solicitors in this regards. We are careful not to say anyone is wrong or right. But we cannot be careful to say our party needs unity and not division, we have however, spoken to ourselves (the candidates) and ready to work with the party and to get the desired results. We hereby appeal that the National Executive Council should reconsider our brethren, and consider others in various positions carrying the flag of the party with them in the states (Deputies, Senate’s, etc.).”