The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has debunked the news report claiming that he stopped the Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi from leading campaign for the party’s candidates ahead of the forthcoming gubernatorial election.
In a statement titled: “the tree of falsehood grows” and which was signed by Tinubu’s spokesperson, Tunde Rahman, the APC leader described Ajimobi as “his partner, not rival” and that his intervention in Oyo APC is to engender genuine reconciliation and not to hide or supplant the governor.
Tinubu was reacting to a news report by an online platform alleging that he has banned Ajimobi from campaigning for APC because he (Tinubu) allegedly held discussions with some notable leaders and brought back to the party’s fold, former governor Adebayo Alao-Akala.
The former Lagos State Governor described Governor Ajimobi as “an excellent governor and a faithful member of the APC”.
He said Ajimobi has brought progress to the state and in serving two consecutive terms, he has made history; hence he is instrumental to anything the APC can achieve in the state.
“This report goes beyond a lie. It is a vindictive attempt to sow discord because the writer is angered by the APC’s success in the presidential election. Thus, the writer has cast truth aside in his angry desire to inflict some kind of electoral wound on the APC.
“SaharaReporters seems unable to mend its ways. Instead of trying to publish what is fair and accurate, it rather grows its tales from seedlings of untruth and calumny. This online newspaper no longer bothers to offer the pretence of seeking the truth.
“For SaharaReporters, whatever is sensational must be true and whatever is true must be sensational.
“The real truth is that SaharaReporters no longer cares if its reportage is right. SaharaReporters just cares that it is widely read. It dare not allow veracity to hamper its business model. This is a disservice to ethical journalism which honours truthful, accurate reporting,” a part of the statement read.
The statement added that Tinubu does not wield such power to stop a sitting governor who can travel in his state as he pleases.
“Who can dare stop him? We want him in and at the rallies. Asiwaju’s intervention in Oyo was to engender genuine reconciliation. To exclude this good and able governor would have aborted this mission before it started.
“Asiwaju views Governor Ajimobi as highly disciplined and a committed and respected party leader, unlike some others who have no respect for party supremacy. The relationship between them remains solid and loyal. And one hundred false reports by one hundred SaharaReporters cannot change that reality,” the statement read.
