APC Primary: Ekiti Rep Denies Sponsoring Thugs To Disrupt Exercise

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….Says Allegation Politically Motivated

A member of House of Representatives, Hon. Davidson Akinlayo has denied sponsoring hoodlums to disrupt the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election in Ekiti State on Saturday.

Akinlayo who is presently representing Moba/Ilejemeje/ Ido-Osi Federal Constituency at the National Assembly and seeking re-election said the allegation was not only politically motivated but also a calculated attempt by his detractors to tarnish his good image and discourage his teeming supporters from voting for him.

Recall that Police in the state arrested eleven suspected political thugs armed with dangerous weapons inside Onikoyi Hotel, Ikun Ekiti, claiming they were being sponsored by the federal lawmaker.

Speaking with newsmen in Ado-Ekiti, Akinlayo stated that only two out of the people arrested are known to him, saying the duo are his media aides.

The federal lawmaker said, ‘They said they went to that hotel and caught some people, it is  only two people that I know from that group, the Head of my media,and the assistant media guy which is Boluwatife Ishola and Babatope Ibitola whom are well known in Ekiti State. They are media gurus and they have never involved in any criminality.

“So the rest that were arrested, are well known in town,  none of them is from my Federal Constituency, none of them work for me and I don’t leave in the hotel, I only lodged for two three days when my house was fumigated and I have left the hotel since and I have returned to my house”.

On what and who other arrested persons are, he said, “they  are  appointees of government, we all know them, Ijaya is well known in the society , he is an appointee of government, all of them are on government payroll, they are non-state actors, you know the people they call non-state actors, yes they are all non-state actors in the state. So how are they working for me? How come I now bought them guns, do I have a gun myself?.

“Why would I buy somebody gun to do what? I have a thriving business before joining politics, I’m not a puppet for crying out loud, I have functional gas plant, I have functional filling station all around, and I’m into real estate so I was never a poor person.

” I came to politics with my wealth and I spend my money for people that’s the more reasons people liked me, people loved me because I do charitable organisations a lot, I contribute to people’s lives, I have affected many lives in this environmental, I have touched so many lives, I am not one of the politicians that people will call and will not pick, that people will seek for help and will not render it, I rendered to people regardless of party they belonged, even outside my constituency to Ado, to Omuo every community in Ekiti State“.

Akinlayo stated that he was on campaign tour of Ilejemeje on Thursday and also went for a security meeting before resuming campaign again the following day alleged that his opponent who has not campaign in a single Ward  in the Constituency is boasting of using is connection to win the primary by writing the results.

“Is that how democracy is practiced? he queried. Now he is intimidating people  not come out to vote tomorrow. I said people must come out to vote for the candidate of their choice, you can’t intimidate people, that’s what we are saying, it is as simple as that, nobody is asking for too much, people must come out to vote.

“People are being told not to come out for the shadow election, that if they come out they will be attacked. But people will come out and vote. Why are they afraid of free and fair contest? Why is my opponent afraid? Why is he not campaigning? Why is he not reaching out to people. He is talking about Gbaja, he is laying claims to Gbaja, that he is Gbaja’s candidate, he is Presidency candidate.

“My opponent is only eager in writing results, he is not ready for the primary, he is not ready for the real contest and democracy is the government of the by the people it is not by individual that just sit at his comfort home and write results. What I want from the government is for them to allow level playing field for all aspirants to test their popularity on the field.

“He has been going up and down, claiming that Femi Gbajabiamila is the one that asked him to come and contest, that he is the one sponsoring him, he is using Gbajas name to intimidate everybody around, but nobody can intimidate me, I’m an Ekiti man, I am a thorough-bred Ekiti man, nobody can intimidate me,  it is the people that matters to us”.