Hakeem Jamiu, a member of the Ekiti state house of assembly representing Irepodun-Ifelodun constituency II, has rejected claims that he endorsed Boluwatife Fayose as the consensus candidate for the constituency’s assembly seat.
Boluwatife is the son of Ayodele Fayose, the former Ekiti
state governor.
Reports had circulated online claiming that Jamiu was among
stakeholders who backed Fayose during a constituency meeting held in Iworoko on
March 14.
But in a statement issued on Monday, the lawmaker said
although he attended the meeting, he did not participate in any endorsement and
had openly opposed the alleged consensus arrangement.
Jamiu, who is a member of the All Progressives Congress
(APC), said the party had not approved a consensus process for selecting
candidates for state and national assembly primaries.
According to him, at the last stakeholders’ meeting held at
Jibowu Hall in the Government House, the party only approved consensus
arrangements for chairmanship and councillorship positions.
He added that no meeting had been held to extend the
arrangement to legislative seats.
“It is embarrassing for me as a sitting member of the House
of Assembly to be invited to a constituency meeting in my constituency only to
be conscripted by ambush into a pre-arranged consensus endorsement,” he said.
Jamiu described the alleged endorsement as “premature and
preposterous,” noting that the party had yet to release official guidelines for
the primaries that would determine candidates for state and national
assemblies.
He said he was confident the APC national leadership would
ensure internal democracy and provide a level playing field for all aspirants
seeking the party’s ticket.
The lawmaker also alleged that the meeting turned violent,
claiming he was assaulted by a ward councillor who pushed and rough-handled him
while allegedly threatening his life.
He urged his supporters to disregard reports suggesting that
he was part of the endorsement, insisting that consensus requires the agreement
of all stakeholders.
Jamiu added that he remains committed to due process and
internal democracy within the party ahead of the forthcoming primaries.
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