6th January, 2022
By Yinusa Ishola
Ekiti State government on Thursday said a plot to discredit and defame Gov. Kayode Fayemi over the 2023 general elections has been uncovered.
Mr. Yinka Oyebode, the governor’s spokesman stated in Ado-Ekiti that the government was aware of a plot by some political interest groups to activate negative media campaigns against the governor.
According to him, the alleged plot, as uncovered, is to use some faceless political groups and political jobbers from different parts of the country to defame the Ekiti State governor.
Oyebode stated that the plan was to use the faceless groups to discredit Gov. Fayemi and portray him as unacceptable to the generality of the people across the six geo-political zones of the country.
He alleged that some entrenched interests within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) seemed uncomfortable with the rising profile of the governor and had resorted to cheap blackmail aimed at de-marketing him.
According to him, the Nigerian Constitution states clearly the qualifications for the position of the President of the country.
“The plot is part of their game plan for the 2023 presidential contest.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Gov. Fayemi has not told anyone that he is in the race for the presidency of Nigeria.
“He has always maintained that he is on duty in Ekiti State and would like to concentrate on that assignment.
“What he does afterwards is in the hands of God and he will cross that bridge at the appropriate time.
“He restated this position during his most recent interview with Arise TV on Jan. 1, 2022.
“Every qualified adult has the right to aspire to the Number One position.
“Therefore, we do not believe it is proper, decent or strategic for any aspirant to think his campaign can only gather momentum when he destroys the reputation of perceived opponents.
“We urge members of the public to disregard the potpourri of lies and cheap blackmail that could be released in the coming days.
“Promoters of this smear campaign are advised to concentrate on marketing their aspiration to the people of Nigeria without recourse to defamation or character assassination of perceived competitors,’’ Oyebode added.