Soji Ajibola
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo state has described reported endorsement of Governor Makinde re-election bid as self sponsored which is aimed at misleading the electorate.
The report is coming against the background of media report which had it that about three pro-Tinubu groups in the state had ditched the gubernatorial candidate of the APC, Senator Teslim Folarin, for the incumbent governor who is seeking reelection into office.
In a statement issued at the weekend and made available to journalists in Ibadan by its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, Oyo APC described the report of such endorsement as a manifestation of cowardice, undue pressure and desperation on the part of the governor and his negligible supporters who have seen the writing on the wall and are now looking for a miracle that could make them escape disgraceful defeat at the poll on Saturday.
“First and foremost, we would like to state that there are no pro-Tinubu groups registered with Oyo APC by the names “Southern for Tinubu BAT Democracy, Yoruba Campaign for BAT and Tinubu Campaign Movement while the two names mentioned in the fallacious news report are fictitious. The latest fake news came from the same unscrupulous elements who promoted one non-existing Alhaji Bashir Adeola as Oyo APC chieftain purportedly supporting Gov. Makinde. We challenged them then to produce that person but they ran away.
“It is an established fact that Gov. Makinde has embarked on a spending spree to get support for another term in office as he invited some stakeholders with Oyo PDP to the Agodi Government House few days ago and gave them N500 million as a bait but the fact remains that no reasonable polician in the state would trust him (Makinde) again in spite of the fate suffered in his hands by those who assisted him to become governor in 2019.
“Among shameful acts being perpetrated by the drowning governor and his lackeys are; coercion of senior public servants (especially tutors-general, education secretaries and headteachers) to turn public school environment into campaign grounds for PDP candidates, sponsorship of miscreants drawn from the PMS to intimidate residents and prospective voters across the state, payment of heavy sums to some media executives so as to influence the content of their news and programmes in favour of the PDP, enlistment of support of pastors and some other religious leaders and so on.
“”As a matter of fact, we have uncovered the plot to dish out many fake news, concocted opinion polls and damaging publications in all the available media apparatuses so to create an avenue for condemnation of INEC after a winner other than Gov. Makinde would have emerged the winner. We are also aware of the preponderance of disgraceful media engagement of some turncoats who left our party last year and are now working for Gov. Makinde but we would not dignify them with any response until our victory this weekend.
“As a serious political party, our focus is on the March 11, 2023 goveenorship and House of Assembly elelction where we poised to better the feat recorded on February 25. We would not allow any confused desperado to distract us and it is at this juncture that we are appealing to the good people of the state to be resolute and stand their ground as ready to prevent Oyo state from falling into opposition again under Tinubu presidency.” Sadare added.
