Fayemi Didn’t Donate N1 Billion For My Victory, Says Akeredolu

Rotimi Akeredolu, the Governor elect of Ondo state has denied allegation that the Federal Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Kayode Fayemi, donated the sum N1 billion to his campaign train for an exchange of a juice position in the next administration that would be formed by February 2017.

The denial was contained in a statement signed by his publicist, Yemi Olowolabi, and issued to journalists in Akure on Monday.

Mr. Akeredolu described the allegation as an “acrimonious, wicked and irresponsible publications” and asked the mischief-makers to leave Mr. Fayemi and his wife out of the murky water of politics in both Ekiti and Ondo state.

Some media outlet [excluding Daily Times] had reported at the weekend that Mr. Kayode Fayemi allegedly donated the sum of N1 billion and trailer-loads of rice for the aspiration of Mr. Akeredolu as an inducement to enable his own wife, Erelu Bisi Fayemi become the next Secretary to the State Government of the state.

The Governor elect said it was regrettable that some “irresponsible individuals” can wickedly cooked up a story against his innocence noting that there was never a time Mr. Fayemi donated such huge amount to his campaign before and during the November poll.

“This trend of allegations against Fayemi started in Ekiti State after Captain Sagir Koli revealed in an audio tape how Governor Ayodele Fayose allegedly stole himself to power through treason, which the governor denied until principal actors started confessing to the crime.

“Since then, there has been a trend in which Fayemi is painted as a super rich who donated N1.5b to President Muhammadu Buhari’s election campaign and now N1b to Akeredolu from his bottomless pocket as if a billion naira is what can be wrapped in an envelope and dashed out as a gift.

“Neither Fayemi nor his wife has ever demanded any position from Akeredolu. Both Fayemi and Akeredolu abhor such as activists. In fact, the woman is at present pre-occupied with her women advocacy job around the world, so much that she would have no time for local political activities”, Mr. Akeredolu said.

He further explained that both Fayemi and his wife had no time spoken to him about ceding any position adding that those who concocted the story were only suffering from the election victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

“We appreciate the fact that the pains of post-defeat trauma can be debilitating and sometimes malignant, such trauma should not degenerate into taking away our humanity to launch wicked lies against innocent people.

“Fayemi has no millions let alone billion to be given out for an election victory that can go either way and he and his wife have never, never spoken to Akeredolu about ceding any position to anyone. Neither has Erelu Fayemi spoken about any senatorial ambition.

“The devious plot to present a malicious story as coming from APC in Ondo State is not only condemnable, it is also a shame to the writers who have shown themselves as lacking in integrity, honour and grit to squarely resolve the problems that plague them instead of maligning innocent people to vent their anger over election loss” he said.