I Didn’t Hold Meetings with Makarfi,  Akpabio over Ekiti Guber Poll, Says Oni

By Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti

The Deputy National Chairman (South) of the All Progressives

Congress (APC) and governorship aspirant in Ekiti State, Mr. Segun

Oni, has denied holding meetings with notable leaders of the Peoples

Democratic Party (PDP) over the 2018 governorship poll.

He said he has no reason to be holding secret meetings with the former

Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio and Caretaker

Chairman of the PDP, Ahmed Makarfi as alternative to APC, saying he

was not desperate to clinch the ticket at all costs.

The former governor also said he would resign from his position

one month before the governorship primary of his party coming up early

next year, to enable him participate as an aspirant, saying nobody can

force him to resign now.

Oni, who stated this while reacting to mounting agitation that he

should quit his position if he wishes to contest for the 2018

governorship election in the state, said the APC constitution is

clear about when he should resign as Deputy National

Chairman of the party.

Dispelling the rumour at his campaign headquarter in Ado Ekiti yesterday, Oni said the APC constitution says he must resign one month before the party’s primary, saying that he would not disobey his party law.

The governorship aspirant who expressed concern about the increasing rate

of hate campaign against him, allegedly by members of his party on the

social media, said no amount of campaign of hate would deter him from the

task ahead.

He said he remains a revolution which no man can blocked in the 2018

governorship election.

Oni however denied allegation that he was doing anti party activities by

meeting with opposition elements such as Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, Akpabio and Makarfi.

He said those making the allegation are placing so much value on him,

saying that if however Makarfi decides to visit him, he would welcome him.

He words: “Those telling lies against me on the social media are only making me more

popular by increasing my visibility.

“Let me disprove some lies they are telling against me. They said our

Chairman, Chief Oyegun asked me to resign. I want to tell you that there is

no threat to my position. It is a lie with an expiry date. The party

constitution says I should resign one month before the primary and that is what I am going to do.

“They said I met with Fayose, that I met with Akpabio in an hotel and

that I met with Makarfi in my house. Maybe I don’t even know the value

these people are placing on me.

“The last time I met Fayose was immediately after the burial of Adebayo when I visited him to show gratitude for his roles in the burial.

As for Makarfi and Akpabio, I have not met them anywhere. However, if Makarfi wish to come to my house, I will welcome him.

“Those trying to block me are risking many things because I am the revolution that nobody can block. On the field, they know what the people

want.”

He, however, assured other aspirants that there would be a level playing

ground at the party primary adding that he was ready to abide by the result of the primary even if he is not the chosen one.