Lagos APC: Jumoke Okoya-Thomas task party leaders on Kemi Nelson’s conduct

The Women Leader of the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon. Olajumoke Okoya-Thomas has enjoined party’s stakeholders to check the South West Women Leader of the party, Chief (Mrs.) Kemi Nelson over her alleged needless confrontation,incessant harassment, intimidation and assault.

Hon. Jumoke said in a statement released to journalists that she could no longer bear the “unwarranted harassment and intimidation by Kemi Nelson,” which she said has been festering since she was unanimously elected to the office of the Lagos State APC Women Leader in May this year.

She also stated that the antics of Kemi Nelson is unbecoming of a woman, who has been a commissioner in the state and currently holds the position of the APC South West Women Leader as well as an Executive Director of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), according to a statement signed by her media aide, Oladipupo Awojobi.

Alli who assualted her

“We are constrained to bring to the public knowledge the antics of the South West APC Women Leader, Chief (Mrs.) Kemi Nelson, which culminated in the harassment, intimidation and oppression of the Lagos APC Women Leader, Hon. Jumoke Okoya-Thomas.

“Kemi Nelson came with about six other women to the state secretariat of the APC on Monday 27th August.

“They proceeded to the office of the chairman of the state chapter of the party, Hon. Tunde Balogun, where the state executive members of the party were having a meeting.

‘One of the women, Ayo Alli-Balogun went straight to Hon. Jumoke Okoya-Thomas and told her that they would deal ruthlessly with her.

“Rather than replying her, Okoya-Thomas left for her office in the secretariat only for Alli-Balogun to go outside the office of the chairman and start a fight with the Personal Assistant of Okoya-Thomas, Alhaja Abiodun.

“The woman was thoroughly beaten and wounded by Alli-Balogun, who came with Kemi Nelson. The victim, Alhaja Abiodun had to be rushed to a nearby hospital as she lost a lot of blood and sustained serious body injury,” Awojobi said in the statement.

Okoya-Thomas was quoted to have said in the statement that she had extended a hand of fellowship to Kemi Nelson upon resumption of office few months back, but that she was rebuffed by her predecessor and wondered what the problem was.

The Lagos APC Women Leader urged the leaders of the party to call Kemi Nelson to order as her provocative actions is becoming unbearable, but insists she will continue with her mandate as the Lagos State APC Women Leader despite the incitation and provocations meant to make her lose focus.

Okoya-Thomas revealed in the statement that she had been avoiding any kind of confrontation with Kemi Nelson, who she said she held in high esteem before now.

According to her, what the APC as a party needed now is unity so that it could confront the forthcoming general elections in the state and in Nigeria with all the seriousness they deserve.

“I am surprised that Kemi Nelson, who I took over from as the Lagos APC Women Leader could have any animosity towards me. She is the South West APC Women Leader and I don’t think my duties and responsibilities will clash with her own. My mandate is to mobilise all Lagos women for the success of our party in the 2019 general elections and no amount of intimidation from a fellow woman will deter me from achieving this goal.

“We finally advise Kemi Nelson should face her job as the South West Women Leader of the party while we asked to be left alone to do our revolutionary job in the women wing of the Lagos State APC ,” Okoya-Thomas said in the statement.

Okoya-Thomas however, advised her supporters to keep the peace as she expressed confidence that the leaders of the party would do the needful and call the South West APC Women Leader to order so that peace would continue to reign in the ruling party.

She used the opportunity to urge the women in the APC not to relent in their efforts of working for victory of the party across board in the state during the 2019 General Elections.