Oshiomhole, Fayemi trade words over rigging allegation

Ekiti State governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has tackled former national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole over allegation that he (Fayemi) asked him to rig party primaries in favour of his aspirant.

Oshiomhole, alleged that Fayemi, asked him to commit electoral fraud while he was in office. But responding through his Chief Press Secretary, Yinka Oyebode, the Ekiti State governor knocked Oshiomhole over this claim, saying that he had never asked the former APC chairman to rig any intra-party election for him or any other individual.

Fayemi claimed that he has a stellar record of being a consummate democrat even in difficult times.

Oyebode urged members of the public to disregard the allegations by the former governor, saying he was still experiencing post-traumatic disorder on account of his removal as the APC chairman which he said, Fayemi was not responsible for.

Oyebode said, “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.

“It is on record that Fayemi was not responsible for Oshiomhole’s removal as chairman of the APC. He has his ward executives and the courts to blame for that.

“Members of the public are therefore urged to disregard the allegations by Oshiomhole, who apparently is still experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder on account of his removal as chairman of the APC.

“He (Fayemi) has always considered 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 the avoidance of doubt, Governor Fayemi has no reason to approach Oshiomhole for favours for any election.”

Fayemi further challenged Oshiomole to provide the public independently verifiable evidence of his unsubstantiated claims, if it was true that the governor approached him to manipulate election in his favour.

While featuring on a programme, ‘Political Paradigm’ on Channels television on Tuesday, Oshiomhole claimed that Fayemi told him in one of their meetings to impose his preferred candidate during the party primaries, which he rejected.

He said, “In one of the meetings I had with Governor Kayode Fayemi, he told me bluntly to my face that ‘chairman what we are saying is that you can go and conduct an election to fulfil all righteousness, but when we say this is the person that should emerge, just make sure he is the person that emerges.’

“And I told 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 as the chairman, I will rather leave the job with my honour than sacrifice my honour to keep the job.”

Oshiomhole, however, did not mention the state and the candidate in question. (Nigerian Tribune)