“Ojo Ola Oyo”, a social political group in Ibadan, Oyo State, has refuted a press statement, which lampooned Minister of Youths and Sports, Sunday Dare.
In a statement signed by President of the group, Comrade Adewale Adesope, the group said it had nothing to do with the statement which presented Dare in bad light.
The group said in the statement that the phony group had in a statement attacked the personality of the minister, libelling him on fundamental issues.
Read the group: “We run a social- political group named ‘Ojo Ola Oyo’ founded by Alhaji Kehinde Olaosebikan. It was launched on August 12, 2018 preparatory to the gubernatorial bid of our Founder.
“Mainly, it was set up to promote and support the activities of Nigerian youths and provide encouragements for them to be active in politics. Since then, we have been meeting regularly, making necessary interventions, addressing press conferences and issuing press releases.
“We are known and recognised all over the world as the ‘Ojo Ola Oyo’. A check from Google would confirm this.
“Following the break of the libelous news item from the phony ‘Oojo Ola Oyo’ since Tuesday, we have been inundated with visits, calls, messages by people associating us with the irresponsible publication.
“Initially, we thought of ignoring the whole issue taking it as one of such bad stories that would fade away with time, but the reactions to the weighty allegations contained in the report have proved us wrong. This particular debauched story is not fading out any time soon. As it is, it may lead to serious legal matters.
“Although, we noticed that the people behind the politically motivated release deliberately bastardized the spelling of Ojo as Oojo, to hide their evil intention against us, particularly our founder, we have realized that the public have taken their spelling of ‘Oojo’ as ‘Ojo’ as a typographical error. The public believed that it was our group, ‘Ojo Ola Oyo’ that issued the depraved statement.
“A press statement this morning by the Ogbomoso Progressive Forum did not mince word in its attack against us, ‘Ojo Ola Oyo’, as the people behind the wicked falsehood. It is very disturbing and painful.
“At that point, we felt compelled to tell the world that our organization, ‘Ojo Ola Oyo’ has nothing to do with the press release.
“We did not know anything about it and neither was our Founder, Alhaji Kehinde Olaosebikan nor the present leadership of the group under my humble self. We dissociate ourselves wholly from the hatchet work of the evil doers.
“Our Founder, apart from being a long standing friend of the Honorable minister, he is a gentleman known for peace and well being of others.
“More than any other leader of the All Progressives Congress, Alhaji Olaosebikan has been in the forefront of restoring peace and harmony in the party. This can be attested to by party leaders, including the state chairman of the party, Chief Isaac Omodewu, the gubernatorial candidate of the party, Senator Teslim Folarin, the leader of the Progressives in the state, Alhaji Fatai Ibikunle, Chief Wale Ohu and Alhaji Kayode Adanla. Olaosebikan personally intervened in the crisis that engulfed APC in Oyo state after the state congress.”
The group recalled that following the problems that tore the party apart after the party primaries, Alhaji Olaosebikan was the first leader to call a genuine peace meeting of stakeholders in his federal constituency, not minding the shenanigans that robbed him of the ticket.
“Alhaji Olaosebikan appealed to all the aggrieved leaders and members to forgive those that manipulated the primaries and let bygone be bygone. He literally begged them to remain in APC for the sake of the party. I was there and it was well reported in the media. (Oyo APC chieftain prevents aggrieved members’ from defection.
“Sadly, our findings have revealed that the person behind the fake ‘Oojo Ola Oyo’ is an aide to the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Oyo State, Distinguished Senator Teslim Folarin and this baffled us to no end.
“First, at a time when all reasonable supporters of Senator Folarin, including us, are begging and canvassing support for the candidate, this obtuse man is busy concocting wicked lies to destroy the Oyo State representative in the federal cabinet, the highest political office holder in the state.
“At a time that this so-called kitchen cabinet member of the candidate ought to be engaged propagating good things about his principal, he decided to be destroying people, writing inoperable letters and press releases using fake identities.
“We thought of why he resorted to using our name in his libelous statement and we found three reasons: One, to cause disaffection between our Founder and his friend of over 30 years, the honorable minister. Two, the evil aide wanted the public to see our Founder as a traitor and a bad person issuing falsehood to destroy his friend. Three, the perfidious man wanted to destroy the Minister along with our Founder. It is himself and his cohorts that would be destroyed and get perished by the grace of the Almighty.”
The statement continued: “The palpable lack of cohesion, genuine progress in the party and the low enthusiasm to the gubernatorial campaign by some party leaders may be as a result of the devilish antics of aides like the one in question. One can only advise our gubernatorial candidate to seriously watch his back.”
Stay ahead with the latest updates! Join The ConclaveNG on WhatsApp and Telegram for real-time news alerts, breaking stories, and exclusive content delivered straight to your phone. Don’t miss a headline — subscribe now!
