The Governor of Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi has said that the latest media propaganda by the self-styled Unity Forum of the All Progressives Congress is a desperate attempt to rubbish the result of the ward congresses, which was successfully held across the state on Sunday.
A statement by the Special Adviser on Communication and Strategy to the governor, Mr. Bolaji Tunji said that it was on record that the so-called unity forum adjudged the election to be free, credible and fair in an advertorial published in a national daily and even went ahead to congratulate the congress committee for a job well done.
Ajimobi added that other stakeholders, including himself, congress committee and the leadership of the party hailed the conduct of the ward congress and would, therefore, have no reason to seek to influence the results.
According to the governor, it was inconceivable that the same unity forum can make a sudden u-turn to accuse the governor of attempting to doctor the outcome of the election.
Having attested to the integrity of the congress committee, it is therefore illogical and surprising that the unity forum can now be crying wolf where there is none.
“This shameless act by this dissident group has exposed their level of desperation and extent they are willing to go to mislead the public about the true picture of events leading to the ward congress.
“For the avoidance of doubt, all eligible members of the APC obtained the nomination form before it closed and actively participated in the election as attested to by the congress committee chairman.
“During the press briefing addressed by the Alhaji Musa Halilu-Ahmed-led congress committee, no issue of fake forms or undue interference from any quarter was reported, which informed his verdict.
“Rather than resorting to wild and unsubstantiated claims, the unity forum should have availed itself of the opportunity provided by the appeal committee put in place by the national leadership of the APC to register their grievances.
“The claim that some loyalists of the governor brought thugs to the APC secretariat was an attempt to stand facts on their head. The APC members that gathered at the secretariat on Saturday were very clear in their understanding that it was the aggrieved group and political charlatans that brought hoodlums to the venue to disrupt the stakeholders’ meeting.
“I think they should be told that elections are not won on the pages of the newspaper, but through hard work on the field. This was the approach adopted by loyal APC members that participated in the election.
“I will not join them to tout imaginary numbers of membership strength, because it is infantile and needless. When the chips are down, we will separate the boys from the men.”
