Ondo By-election: APC Youth Forum Dismisses Allegations against Tunji-Ojo, Ehindero

Fidelis David in Akure

The Youths Forum of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Akoko North East/Akoko North West Federal Constituency of Ondo State yesterday dismissed an allegation that the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disrupted the congress meant for delegates to decide the party’s candidate for the constituency by-election slated for February 3, 2024.

This is just as the youths of the constituency threw their weight behind the aspiration of Ife Ehindero, the son of a former Inspector General of Police (IG), Sunday Ehindero, to represent the constituency in the National Assembly.

The seat of the federal constituency became vacant in the House of Representatives following the resignation of the former lawmaker, Mr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who was appointed as the Minister of Interior by President Bola Tinubu.

To this end, the APC youth forum in a statement signed by its Chairman, Tunji Kazeem said the allegation that the minister brought soldiers, men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and over 500 political thugs to disrupt the congress was untrue and a calculated attempt to disrepute the former lawmaker.

The statement reads: “Our attention has been drawn to a piece of spurious news gaining prominence in just a section of the media that the distinguished Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disrupted the Congress meant for Delegates that will decide the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Akoko North East/Akoko North West Federal Constituency by-election.

“In the inaccurate and misleading news tapped from an unsigned letter said to be written by some faceless individuals under the auspices of concerned APC stakeholders in Akoko North East Local Government, it was wrongly alleged that the honourable minister brought soldiers, men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and over 500 political thugs to disrupt the congress.

“How would the minister deeply focused on making the citizenry enjoy the ease entrenched in passport application soil his hands in illegality? 

“Evidently, the news is not only fictitious but a transparent display of insensitivity and fear of looming defeat that will betide the anti-democratic elements parading themselves as stakeholders. We find it important to state that no security operative disrupted the said Congress as we have overwhelming digital evidence that the congress was held peacefully without a modicum of violence and its ilk.”

According to the group, “this early sign of defeat is a harbinger of better times to come. We urge these combative simpletons to desist from maligning our performing Tunji-Ojo as well as refrain from weaving lies to discredit the widely accepted and popular Ife Ehindero. We must reaffirm the unwavering position of Tunji-Ojo in politics. He remains neutral and committed to upholding the principles of rule of law. 

“However, Ehindero has carved a niche for himself and he deserves the vacant seat. As stakeholders in the APC, we assure the public that we won’t deign to spread falsehood like the wailing stakeholders bent on dishing out mendacious statements.”