Presidential aspirant and Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi as described as “laughable” and “figment of his imagination” the allegation former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole that the former once asked him to rig an election for him (Fayemi).
In an interview with Channels Television, Oshiomhole who was a former Governor of Edo State, alleged that Fayemi asked him to commit electoral fraud while he was APC National Chairman.
Oshiomhole, himself a presidential aspirant of the party, told the television network: “I said it in one of the meetings I had with Governor Kayode Fayemi who told me bluntly to my face that, “Chairman, what we are saying is, you can go and conduct election to fulfil all righteousness. But when we say, this is the person that should emerge, just make sure he is the person that emerge’.
“And I told Governor Fayemi that, ‘that would be your own portion not me’. I cannot be used as an instrument of fraud, to invite people to buy forms when I have already decided, regardless of how people will vote, this is the man that will prevail.
“You want to use me for such a purpose, I said no, I said at worst, if you find the number to get rid of me, I will rather leave the job with my honour than sacrifice my honour to keep the job”.
But a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Olayinka Oyebode on Tuesday pooh-poohed the allegation saying it was “not only false, puerile and laughable” but “it is a figment of the imagination of the former APC Chairman”.
The statement further stated: “For the 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.
“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.
“It is on record that Governor Fayemi was not responsible for Comrade Oshiomhole’s removal as Chairman of the APC. He has his (Oshiomhole’s) ward executives to blame for that.
“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.
“We challenge Mr Oshiomhole to provide the public with independent verifiable evidence of his unsubstantiated claims, if true.
“Other 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.”
