An Ogun State chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Akintunde Armstrong, has debunked a report that he is imposing councilorship candidates for Iperu Ward 3 and 5 in the Ikenne Local Government Area of the state.
Armstrong has also denied ever saying that he would buy the two wards over with a staggering sum of $80,000 to ensure his two loyalists pick the councilorship tickets for the two Wards.
He said that all of these are best described as “the ranting of rudderless opposition to tarnish my image, misinform the public and score cheap political points”.
The Iperu Remo-born politician disclosed this on Friday while reacting to a report alleging him of boasting of using cash and influence to impose his two loyalists, Olaleye Babatunde and Osularu Olabanjo Muyiwa, as the councilorship candidates for the party in the November 16 local government elections in the state.
Armstrong was also alleged to have boasted that even the governor, Dapo Abiodun, who is from one of these wards, did not stop him from going ahead with the alleged imposition.
The property merchant has, however, put a lie to all these allegations, describing them as baseless, unfounded and idle talk of the opposition and should, therefore, be ignored by the members of the public.
Armstrong said, “I am totally shocked and surprised with these unfounded and outright falsehoods being peddled about by some opposition elements.
“How could someone in his right senses with this harsh economy be boasting about spending a whopping sum of $80,000, which can’t be less than N120m, to impose councilorship candidates? It is just sheer absurdity and lies from the pit of hell.
“They equally said I boasted that even the governor cannot stop me; is that not the height of foolishness? His Excellency, Gov Dapo Abiodun, is my leader and mentor. He is the leader of the party, and it is wherever he goes I will also go. So, no truth in all of their hogwash and attempts to disparage me before the governor.
He said that the video his opposition was circulating was talking about the fund the Dapo Abiodun Continuity Agenda has earmarked to further support and empower the party members just as the political group had been doing all over the state since its establishment in 2019.
The property merchant has, therefore, pledged his loyalty to the Governor and the party and reiterated his promise to support the party not only in producing the right candidates but to also help the ruling party achieve a landslide victory in the forthcoming November 16 local government elections.
– Oluseun JOSHUA, Abeokuta
