A former Ondo State Deputy Governor and member of the All Progressives Congress, APC Board of Trustees, Alhaji Ali Olanusi has described a story by one of the national dailies that Senator Ajayi Boroffice has been endorsed by Akoko Elders as false and malicious.
In a press statement titled “Refutal Of The Story: How We Picked Boroffice, By Akoko Elders” which was personally signed by him, He said he felt disappointed at the level of dishonesty and unpatriotic stance of some of the elders in Akokoland.
“My attention has been drawn to a story captioned “How we picked Boroffice, by Akoko Elders” published on page 44 in Nation’s edition of Thursday, August, 2016.
“I must confess that I am most disappointed at the level of dishonesty and unpatriotic stance of some of our elders in Akokoland.”
“The story referred to above, is entirely false and only exists in the imagination of the author. I hereby want to put the record straight and condemn in unmistakable terms the falsehood contained in the story and make very strong appeal for our people, especially the elite, to learn to imbibe a culture of truth at all times as truth exalts a nation”, he said.
Explaining the Involvement of the APC Elders Assembly, Olanusi said he called a meeting at his Supare Akoko residence on Tuesday 21st June, 2016 after about six of the aspirants from the area insisted on listening to him alone and a request from the Ayegbusi-led Akoko Elders Assembly to discuss the issue of choosing a single aspirant from Akoko.
How said, “Sequel to the insistence of about six of the aspirants from Akoko in writing that they will only listen to me; the Ayegbusi led Akoko Elders Assembly requested me to summon a meeting of the Assembly to discuss the issue of choosing a single Aspirant for Akoko in the forthcoming APC primary election in Ondo State. I therefore called the meeting which was held at Supare-Akoko on Tuesday 21st June, 2016.”
“The meeting was attended by about seventy (70) Elders and leaders of APC in Akoko; including seven aspirants, viz : Prof. Boroffice Ajayi, Dr. Segun Abraham, Rt. Hon. Victor Olabimtan, Hon. Gani Dauda, Mr. Mayowa Adefemi, Alhaji Jamiu Olatunji, Dr. Tunji Abayomi.”
“The major resolution of the meeting was a directive that I should inaugurate a committee to screen the aspirants. There and then I sought and obtained the concurrence of the meeting to include eminent indigenes of Akoko from Akoko Development Group (ADG) and Akoko Consultative Forum (ACF): two organs of Akoko which have always played leading roles in the development of Akoko land.”
The former Ondo PDP Chairman said an Akoko Special Committee to be headed by him was then constituted. Other members of the committee according to him are Chief F. I. Ayegbusi (Chairman, APC Elders Assembly), Alhaji Tolorunju (Akoko North East), Chief R. A. Ajayi (Akoko North West), Mr. R. O. Ogedengbe (Akoko South East), Hon. S. A. Pelemo (Akoko South East), Chief G. A. Garuba (Akoko South West), Pa. L. I. A. Rogbitan (Akoko South West), Prince Oba Ude (President, ACF), Comrade Christopher Olorunfemi (Member, ACF). Others include Chief (Mrs) Ojuolape (Member, ACF), Prof. Sola Ehindero (ADG) and Prof. (Mrs) Olusi also from ADG.
He said the committee met under his leadership seven times and was about rounding-up when Chief Ayegbusi’s group surprisingly and embarrassingly came out with the news of the endorsement of Dr. Segun Abraham.
“To worsen the already bad situation, Prof Boroffice infiltrated my committee through the committee Secretary and Prof. Ehindero. The duo mounted undue pressure on me.”
“In view of the unnecessary pressure and haven seen that some members has compromised themselves I therefore, called a meeting of the aspirants for Sunday 31st July, 2016 in my residence. All the aspirants attended the meeting with the exception of Prof. Boroffice and Dr. Segun Abraham who sent their apologies for absence.”
“Myself and other members of the committee in attendance addressed the seven (7) aspirants present and admonished them to go and discuss among themselves and present to us a single worthy candidate who would fly the flag of Akoko. That is the process so far as the committee is concerned. The outcome of the aspirants meeting is what we intend to present to the larger assembly”, he said.
Olanusi then appealed to all Akoko leaders and Elders to eschew bitterness and divisive tendencies as such can only lead to further backwardness for Akokoland.
He said, “We must at this critical time, pick a responsible and sellable aspirant who will be able to impact positively on the entire state. Inordinate propaganda and underhand actions are inimical to progress.”