The All Progressives Congress APC in Oyo state has criticized the incumbent governor, Seyi Makinde, and the People’s Democratic Party PDP over the alleged and continuous sponsoring of fake news.
According to Oyo APC, there was a news report published on some online mediums which claimed that one Alhaji Bashir Adeola (a chieftain of Oyo APC) spoke in condemnation of his party and favor of the ruling PDP; a report which is unsettling for APC.
In a statement made available to journalists in Ibadan on Tuesday, the APC Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, said, Oyo APC has dismissed the said, Bashir Adeola; describing the name as fictitious.
However, they claimed that “the fraudulent report was the handiwork of some desperados in power who have been overwhelmed by the political fireworks of Oyo APC as demonstrated in the last few months.
The statement further reads in part:
“Some funny characters around Gov. Makinde feel that the best way to mitigate the effects of political affliction which befall their administration and party every day. That a party in power keeps losing its members and supporters to the opposition is not a healthy development for Gov. Makinde but he has nobody to blame for this as he cannot have his cake and eat it. A governor who neither does well with governance nor runoff s an all-inclusive government cannot have the trust of serious politicians and voters.
“We have painstakingly checked our party membership register and found no member by the name of Bashiru Adeola. We then wonder where the PDP media got the ghost to speak with them as a chieftain of Oyo APC. The unscrupulous PDP elements packaged their usual lies and they just put a fictitious name as the source whereas the so-called Bashir Adeola was without a known Ward, Local Government Area, or traceable residence or office address.
“As it is their usual antics, Oyo PDP came up with the latest spurious story aimed at discredit citing our party (APC) in an attempt to water down the adverse effect which the defection of a two-term m House of Assembly member, Hon. Olusegun Olaleye (Radical Brother), would have an on their party and government. Hon. Olaleye retraced his step as he returned to the Progressive fold a few days after hundreds of PDP leaders and members had left the PDP for the APC in Oyo Federal Constituency.
“For the avoidance of doubt, we do not have any member or chieftain who bears the name mentioned and it is safe to say that the story was sponsored by the PDP to mislead the public. We are focused on our electioneering campaigns as a serious political party whose candidates have all it takes to win the forthcoming election in the state. Therefore, we urge the electorate to disregard myriad of fake news being churned out to create a soft landing for Gov. Makinde who has already lost his reelection bid even before the day of the poll.” Oyo APC stated.