A group: Ojo Ola Oyo, founded and launched by Alhaji Kehinde Olaosebikan, has said some mischief makers are behind the negative reports against Sunday Dare, the Minister of Youths and Sports Development.
This was contained in a statement signed by its President, Adewale Adesope, on behalf of Olaosebikan on Friday in Ibadan.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that a group, which called itself Oojo Ola Oyo, had allegedly adulterated Olaosebikan’s group, accusing the Minister of anti-party activities, deceiving the public to believe that it was done by Olaosebikan.
Adesope, in the statement, explained that Olaosebikan had on August 12, 2018, preparatory to his governorship bid, founded the group.
He said that Olaosebikan’s group “has no connection with such a wicked statement against the minister.
“It is the handiwork of some mischief makers.”
According to him, Olaosebikan’s group has nothing to do with the hatchet work of the evil doers against the minister, who is his long standing friend.
The statement said: “We have been inundated with visits, calls and messages by people associating us with the irresponsible publication. It is very disturbing and painful.
“At that point, we felt compelled to tell the world that our organisation, ‘Ojo Ola Oyo’ has nothing to do with the press release.
“We did not know anything about it, neither was the founder, Alhaji Kehinde Olaosebikan, nor I, Adesope, the present leadership of the group knows anything about the said publication.
“The libelous news item was from a phony group called ‘Oojo Ola Oyo’, which deliberately bastardised the spelling of our group’s name to hide their evil intention against Olaosebikan.
“We noticed that the people behind the politically motivated release deliberately bastardised the spelling of ‘Ojo as Oojo’ to hide their evil intention against us, particularly our founder.
“We have since realised 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.
“We are known and recognised all over the world as the ‘Ojo Ola Oyo’. A check from Google would confirm this.
“We initially thought of ignoring the whole issue, taking it as one of such bad stories which would fade away with time.”
He said the reactions to the weighty allegations contained in the report proved them wrong, adding that it wasn’t fading out as expected and could lead to a serious legal issue.
Adesope said that the Ogbomoso Progressive Forum did not mince word in its attack against their group as the people behind the wicked falsehood.
He said their findings had revealed that the person behind the fake Oojo Ola Oyo was an aide to the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the state, Senator Teslim Folarin.
He said rather than join in canvassing support for Folarin, the aide has been busy concocting lies to destroy the Oyo State representatives in the federal cabinet.
Adesope said: “He ought to be engaged propagating good things about his principal, but decided to be destroying people, writing inoperable letters and press releases using fake identities.
“He used our name in the statement to allegedly cause disaffection between our founder and his friend of over 30 years, the minister.
“He wants the public to see Olaosebikan as a traitor.”
Adesope said more than any other APC leader, Olaosebikan had been in the forefront of restoring peace and harmony in the party.
The group president said that such could be attested to by party leaders, including the state Chairman, Chief Isaac Omodewu; APC leader, Folarin; Alhaji Fatai Ibikunle; Chief Wale Ohu; and Alhaji Kayode Adanla.
Adesope said Olaosebikan personally intervened in the crisis that engulfed the APC in the state after the state congress and party primaries.
He said 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.
He added: “Alhaji Olaosebikan appealed to all the aggrieved leaders and members to forgive those that manipulated the primaries and let the 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.”
Adesope said that palpable lack of cohesion, genuine progress in the party and the low enthusiasm to the governorship campaign by some party leaders might allegedly be caused by the same aide.
He said: “They are APC members and totally committed to the party,” adding they are ready to ensure that the APC wins roundly in the forthcoming general election.