The Senatorial Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC in Ogun West, Alhaji Mohammed Azeez has described as baseless the allegation that the National leader of the Party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu was keen on imposing Senator Olamilekan Adeola on the district.

Alhaji Azeez stated this in a Press release received by Nigerian Newstrack, while reacting to a Guardian news story titled, "don't impose Adeola on Ogun West, APC leaders caution Tinubu" written by Azeez Olorulomeru, on Sunday.

The Chairman challenged the Guardian reporter to provide any credible means of identity of Chief Adegbite that spoke to him, describing the personality as nameless and faceless.

He said the story portrayed Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, as undemocratic due to the baseless allegation of imposition of aspirant, stressing that Senator Solomon Adeola is a bona fide son of Ogun West Senatorial District who is qualified to vie for the Senatorial seat of Ogun West like any other indigene.

Below is the full statement...

The attention of the leadership of All Progressives Congress, APC in Ogun West Senatorial District has been drawn to a vexatious publication in “The Guardian on Sunday” of April 3, 2022 titled “Don’t Impose Adeola on Ogun West, APC Leaders Caution Tinubu” at page 5 and repeated word for word in some online blogs.  

Ordinarily, we would not bother to respond to expression of personal opinion by anyone under a democracy but we are compelled to join issue as not only was a credible medium as the Guardian was used to purvey falsehood by its reporter, the story further portrayed our party APC and our national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, as undemocratic in the allegation of imposition of any aspirant. 

As the elected APC Ogun West Senatorial District chairman, I am not aware of any “prominent leaders of All Progressives Congress” from Ogun West meeting and asking our national leader, Asiwaju Tinubu “not to impose Senator Olamilekan Adeola, on them”. 

The duly elected leadership of APC in Ogun West Senatorial District have equally not received any request to impose anyone in any position in the race towards 2023.

For the records, Senator Solomon Adeola is a bona fide son of Ogun West Senatorial District and we want him in the race alongside others for the Senatorial seat of Ogun West as he is eminently qualified to contest.

Furthermore, we have checked and asked around to know the identity of one “Chief Sikiru Adegbite” who spoke on behalf of the purported prominent leaders of APC in Ogun West Senatorial District and say with all emphasis that there is no APC leader, much less a prominent one, bearing that name and identity. We know ourselves. 

On the contrary, we firmly believe that the said leader is fictitiously concocted by the reporter and his sponsors to purvey falsehood, discredit our party and national leader for no just cause. We challenge the reporter to provide any credible means of identity of his fictitious Chief Adegbite that spoke to him alone on behalf of nameless and faceless “prominent leaders of All Progressives Congress in Ogun West Senatorial District”. 

Let me use this opportunity to advise all aspirants on the platform of our great party not to engage in blackmail and name calling in desperate gambit to get the tickets of our party. We are a party of progressives and democrats and will chose our candidates on the basis of our party guidelines, the popularity of the aspirant and the rule of law as applicable to all Nigerians. Every aspirant, particularly legislative aspirants, should conduct their campaign with decorum devoid of falsehood and unfounded allegations and leave the leadership and members of the party to decide who represents them in the race for 2023 election. 

Signed: 

Alhaji Mohammed Azeez  

Senatorial Chairman, 

All Progressives Congress 

Ogun West Senatorial District 

Ogun State. 

3rd April, 2022.