The Dr. Sikirulai Ogundele-led Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has dissociated itself from the false alarm raised by a factional group purporting to have done so on behalf of the party in the state.
The Party, in a statement issued in Abeokuta by Publicity Secretary, Austin Oniyokor, said the claims of the “impostors and undemocratic elements parading themselves as speaking on behalf of the Ogun State PDP without any iota of evidence or details were tantamount to cheap blackmail by those who have sowed wind and are afraid of reaping whirlwind.”
The statement read in part, “It is laughable and utterly ridiculous that the impostors and undemocratic elements who are mortally afraid of a free, fair and transparent contest within our party are issuing warnings and threats and seeking to blackmail the Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC), the Police and other institutions of state.
“Let it be known to the whole world that the statement purportedly signed by one Kayode Adebayo who claims to be the Publicity Secretary of the Ogun State PDP does not represent the position of the party.
“He and his co-travellers, who are parading themselves as Ogun State PDP leadership from the Ward to State level, do not represent the Party since their names were not on the registers authenticated by the national leadership of the Party for the congresses that led to their sham election.
“It is commonsense that anyone whose name is not on the authenticated registers for the Ward Congress, which is the foundation for Local Government and State Congresses, cannot vote and be voted for; much like when your name is not on the voters’ register issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for a general election.
“Having realised that they lack the appeal, credibility and wherewithal to mobilise and convince the good people of Ogun state having failed to do same in intra-party elections, they are looking for who to blame for the pending calamitous outing of their handpicked and unpopular candidates who are majorly products of fraudulent process. They have sowed wind and should be prepared to reap whirlwind.
“We wish to appeal to OGSIEC, the Police and other security agencies to disregard the statement as the outburst of known election riggers and vote buyers who are afraid of their shadow. They cannot stand free and fair contest even within the PDP. That is why they judge others by their standards.
“The era of politics of incitement, lies and cheap blackmail is over in Ogun PDP. To this end, we wish to appeal to the other group that it is not too late for them to retrace their steps and join us in the process of reinventing Ogun PDP and mobilizing the good people of the state for the November 16th election instead of blowing hot air that does no one any good.”