Chief Tom Ikimi former National Vice Chairman, South South of the All Progressives Congress, APC quits the party.
In a statement issued by Ikimi, he said; “I have made the decision to withdraw my membership from the All Progressives Congress (APC) from today, 27th August, 2014″.
Ikimi said that; “it was my fervent hope that the emergence of the APC would bring to an end the sad and bitter experiences that I and some others endured in the ACN where one of the leaders from the South West exploiting the narrow National success of the party in that region virtually hijacked the party, proclaiming himself Overall Leader. Five of the six Governors in the Party at that time were all from that Region. Prominent leaders particularly from the North and South East notably, personalities such as former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, late Alhaji Abubakar Rimi, Alhaji Gali Naaba, Alhaji Lawal Kaita, Alhaji Mohammed Shata, Amb. Yahaya Kwande, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, Otumba Fashawe, Senator Ben Obi, Chief Dubem Onyia etc who could not come to terms with the man’s behavior departed from the party back to the PDP.
“This mass departure of prominent members, from particular sections of the country, did not only seriously weaken the party but blemished it with an image of Regional and Tribal status. At that time I refused to quit the party despite the fact that my frequent solo protests against his behavior were dismissively ignored as I was always told that the man was the overwhelming financier of the Party. While I disagree stoutly with this bluff it is true that the particular individual constantly boasted of his wealth and of his funding of the party. I on the other hand could recall that this was a man I knew who was an easily forgettable character in the 1990s when I was National Party Chairman and when my candidate Sir Michael Otedola of blessed memory, won the Governorship of Lagos State. It would come as no great surprise if Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s boasted great wealth did not derive from any stupendous inheritance ancient or modern.”
“Or that his sudden bragging as though Nigeria’s Bill Gates is an accumulation of extraordinary hard work or financial wizardry. I would rather trust the informed whispers in the inner circles of the party which have it that having positioned himself as perceived leader in the most lucrative income sources of the party, he is recipient and dispenser of bags and bags of party funds. I am also become aware that he is, too, a beneficiary of most of the lucrative contracts in all the ACN states without exception. To further bolster his image it was also frequently said that Tinubu has control of all the votes from South Western Nigeria which, as has been currently touted, when added to the votes of North Western Nigeria would guarantee victory for the APC in the upcoming Presidential election”.
Despite being summoned by the National Disciplinary Committee, which was led by former Foreign Affairs Minister Tom Ikimi, former Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom and Senator Samuel Anyanwu have said they have not received an official invitation as the crisis within the PDP worsens. Both politicians, however, confirmed their willingness…
