Members of the executive committee of the All Progressives, Congress, APC, in Ondo State, have formally announced the removal of the State Chairman of the party, Isaac Kekemeke.

This was contained in a statement by the party’s publicity secretary, Omo’Oba Adesanya.

Crisis had erupted in the party last week following the alleged imposition of a governorship candidate on members of the party by Bola Tinubu, former Lagos State Governor and a national leader of the APC.

This led to some faction of the party locking up the party’s state secretariat in protest and announcing the removal or Kekemeke as chairman.

However, another faction, loyal to the chairman stormed the secretariat the next day, broke the padlocks with which the gates were locked and surrounded the area with security personnel to maintain the peace.

The national leadership of the APC then summoned the warring factions to the national secretariat in Abuja, where a peaceful resolution was reportedly brokered.

It was gathered, however, that Kekemeke did not attend the meeting at the National Secretariat.

Announcing the sack of the Chairman, Ondo State APC spokesman, Adesanya, stated that a vote of no confidence had been passed on the chairman by two-third of members of the state executive committee.

The statement said that “Due process was followed, in accordance with the spirits and letters of the Party’s Constitution (Article 21) in removing the former Chairman from office.”

Quoting a section of the party’s constitution, Adesanya said, “Article 17(v) which states that, subject to ratification by the National Convention or Congress, an Officer shall be relieved of his post at any time if a vote of ‘No Confidence’ is passed on him by two-third of members of the relevant Party organ.

“Article 17(vi): pursuant to this Constitution, where a vote of ‘No Confidence’ has been passed on an Officer, the relevant Party organ shall appoint another person to act in his place pending ratification by the National Convention or Congress.”

Adesanya added that “An acting Chairman, Ade Adetimehin, has therefore been appointed to fill the gap.”

The party “advised the general public, security agencies, Banks/Financial institutions and members of the Party, to stop relating with Mr. Isaacs Kekemeke, in the capacity of his former office”.

The statement also directed the former chairman to submit all party properties in his possession to the State Secretary of the Party or the nearest police station.

“We wish him good luck in all his future endeavors” it concluded.

Kekemeke is yet to react to the new development.