By Akinwande Soji-Ojo
Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has denied the allegations of a former national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, that the governor once asked him to rig an election in his favour.
Oshiomhole was alleged to have made the claim on a Channels Television programme, ‘Political Paradigm’ while recounting his days and exit from the office as APC national chairman.
But Fayemi, in a statement issued on Tuesday by his Chief Press Secretary, Yinka Oyebode, described the allegation as false, puerile, laughable, and a figment of the imagination of Oshiomhole, adding that he has never asked the former Edo State Governor to rig any election for him or any other person and never had any reason to ask for such.
“The attention of the Governor of Ekiti State and Presidential Aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Kayode Fayemi, has been drawn to a spurious allegation by a former National Chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, that the Governor once asked him to rig an election in his favour.
“The allegation, which was made on a national television, is not only false, puerile and laughable, it is a figment of the imagination of the former APC Chairman as Governor Fayemi has never asked Oshiomhole to rig any election for him or any other person and never had any reason to ask for such.
“Members of the public are therefore urged to disregard the allegations by Comrade Oshiomhole, who apparently is still experiencing a post traumatic stress disorder on account of his removal as Chairman of APC.
“It is on record, Dr Fayemi was not responsible for Comrade Oshiomhole’s removal as Chairman of the APC. He has his ward executives and the courts to blame for that.
“The Ekiti State State Governor has always considered Comrade Oshiomhole a friend and political associate even if they had fundamental differences over his kangaroo approach of disqualifying Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, from the APC primaries and his unconscionable autocratic management of party affairs whilst he was chairman of the party.
“For avoidance of doubt, Governor Fayemi has no reason to approach Comrade Oshiomhole for favours for any election. Governor Fayemi has a stellar track record of being a consummate democrat even in difficult times.
“Many Nigerians can easily recall his historic concession speech in 2014 in an election that was clearly lost to electoral sleight of hand at the behest of the then People’s democratic Party (PDP) –led  Federal Government. Others will also recall how he spent years in court patiently pursuing the retrieval of his stolen mandate between 2007 and 2010. He has demonstrated nothing but decency, decorum and fidelity to the rule of law in all his years in politics and public office,” the statement read.
Fayemi challenged Oshiomhole to provide the public with independently verifiable evidence of his “unsubstantiated claims, if true.”
“Governor Fayemi remains steadfast in the pursuit of his aspiration to get the APC ticket for the 2023 presidential election. No amount of mudslinging from disenchanted individuals would distract or discourage him,” it added.
