By Olamide Akinwumi
The Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, has described as false and mischievous, a viral online report alleging his planned defection to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) alongside other political leaders in the state.
In a statement issued on Monday and signed by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr Olayinka Oyebode, the governor described the report as "a tissue of lies" fabricated by disgruntled political elements who are desperate to discredit his administration.
The report had claimed that Governor Oyebanji and some top government functionaries in the state were being lured into the ADC by the immediate past Governor of the state, Dr Kayode Fayemi.
Oyebode, however, dismissed the report as baseless, saying the governor remains firmly rooted in the All Progressives Congress (APC), with no affiliation or intention to join the ADC.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Governor Biodun Oyebanji and the public office holders mentioned in the report remain firmly rooted in the All Progressives Congress (APC) and have no link, neither do they have any plan whatsoever to join the ADC,” the statement read in part.
He also stressed that Dr Fayemi remains a committed APC chieftain, noting his attendance at the recent APC caucus meeting in Iyin-Ekiti, where party leaders unanimously endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Oyebanji for second terms.
“It is on record that Dr Fayemi attended the recent APC Caucus meeting held in Iyin-Ekiti, where the caucus endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Oyebanji for a second term, a decision that was widely reported in the media,” Oyebode added.
The governor’s aide further accused the unnamed sponsors of the report of attempting to create a rift between Governor Oyebanji and President Tinubu by weaponising the longstanding political association between the governor and Fayemi.
“We are aware of a deliberate attempt by some mischief makers to weaponise Governor Oyebanji’s association with Dr Fayemi in a bid to cause a rift between the Governor and President Tinubu. Unfortunately for these jesters, Mr President is a strategic politician who can see through their shenanigans,” he said.
He urged the public to disregard the “childish media attack,” which he described as a ploy by some desperate governorship aspirants in the state who lack a viable agenda to market themselves to the electorate.
“Now that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the date for the primary election, we expect them to be bold enough to come out and sell their candidature to party members and Ekitikete rather than seeking an ignoble way to gate crash,” the statement concluded.
No comments:
Post a Comment