Fayemi Rebukes Presidential Aide Over News Report

By GWG Staff

Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State has lampooned President Muhammadu Buhari’s political adviser, Senator Babafemi Ojodu for allegedly masterminding the publication of a story that he went on a failed mission to the Presidential villa on Tuesday.

A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Yinka Oyebode while reacting to the story said:
“The falsehood, we gathered reliably, was fabricated by a senior aide of the Presidency and a former Senator, Babafemi Ojudu, and planted in The Nation Newspaper, after it was rejected by some State House Correspondents, who rebuffed the former Senator for the misleading and malicious story.

“It is on record that Senator Ojudu, in his desperate bid to rubbish Governor Fayemi, had told his close associates that he would battle Governor Fayemi, who is also the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) with falsehood and cheap blackmail in his nefarious attempt to destabilize APC in Ekiti State.

“While Ojudu has the right to continue to tread the path of perfidy which has been his lifestyle from time immemorial, we least expected the Nation Newspaper, a leading national daily whose motto is “Truth in Defence of Freedom” to buy into such cheap blackmail in form of an unverifiable report, without due regard to the principles of fairness.

This is more so that modern technology has made the business of news gathering and editorial checks a lot easier, especially if the mission is about public good.

“For the purpose of clarity, it is important to state that the Nation’s report was clearly a misleading one designed to cast aspersion on the person of Governor Fayemi and create an impression that the NGF Chairman is an unwanted visitor at the Villa.

“The largely unsubstantiated report was filled with bile, childish and unexplainable fury that signified nothing, just like a tale fit only for the tabloids.

“We therefore implore the general public to disregard the highly illogical concoction that was served as an exclusive story.

“In setting the record straight, we hereby state unequivocally that Governor Fayemi had no plan nor reason to see Mr President on Tuesday late afternoon as maliciously presented in the Nation’s report.

The Governor, had earlier seen Mr President at noon in company of three of his colleagues – Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Governor Simon Lalong (Plateau) and Governor Badaru Abubakar (Jigawa). Also present at that meeting were the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof Ibrahim Gambari and Honourable Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami.

Governor Fayemi was in the villa later in the afternoon to see the COS and State Chief of Protocol (SCOP).

The Ekiti State Governor was never denied any opportunity to see President Buhari as he did not ask to see the President and neither did he go with Chief Giadom. .

We are aware of surreptitious efforts to demonise and blackmail Governor Fayemi on account of the challenges the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is undergoing.

‘We have tried not to join issues with the barrage of falsehood, personality attacks and campaign of calumny against Governor Fayemi on social media in the last two weeks because it is not in Dr Fayemi’s character to engage in unintelligent rabblerousing in the media.

“As a principled democrat, Dr Fayemi is committed to fighting for the principles of democracy within the political party he laboured with other notable Nigerians to birth. It is normal for political leaders to be in disagreement, but it should not lead to campaigns of calumny based on falsehood.”

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