Press statement from Musiliu Obanikoro's office...read below.
"Our attention hasbeen drawn to an audio recording released on Thursday bySahara Reporters, an online news website. In the audio recording, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro is presented ashaving aconversation alongside current Governor of EkitiState, Ayodele Fayose, Senator IyiolaOmisore amongstother names purportedly identified by SaharaReporters as participants in the said meeting".
But these are the facts:
1. That SenatorObanikoro wishes tostate categoricallyand emphaticallythat youwill never find him anywhere in the world talkingaboutrigging an election in favour ofanyone. The context ofthe conversation being reported bySaharaReporters has been deliberately concocted, manipulated and misrepresented toachieve a predetermined narrative. Nowhere in the purported recording did Senator Obanikoro mention directly or indirectly a plan torig the Ekiti State electionsas the Sahara Reporters narrative suggests.
2. That SenatorObanikoro’s team was approached byan agent ofSahara Reporters topay forthe doctored recording. Senator Obanikoro’s refusal to be blackmailed led toSaharaReporters going ahead topublishthe said recording.
3. That it is an open knowledge that Sahara Reporters is a paid mouthpiece ofthe opposition AllProgressives Congress (APC) and as such cannotbe takenseriouslyand credibly.
4. That the eventual timing ofthe release of the doctored audio comingon the eve of the ruling ofthe Osun State Election Petitions Tribunal makes it even more sinister. For allintents and purposes, it is a failedattempttocompromise the outcome ofthe Tribunal ruling and set the tone for publicsympathyin the event ofan unfavorableruling.
5. Old habits die hard. The APCis known forits manipulative anticsin the manufacturingofforgedcertificates, hacking, propaganda and now the doctoring ofaudio recordings.
6. That Dr. Kayode Fayemi and the APC havefailed toexplain how their gross unpopularity led tothe loss oftheir wards and local governments toPDP’s Ayodele Fayose.
7. That therewas a Tribunal set up forthe Ekiti Election. Why was this audiorecording notpresented tothat Tribunal? Having lost an election woefullyand at the Election Petitions Tribunal, thisis nothing short ofa lame after-thought and a futile attempt to pervert the minds ofunsuspecting Nigerians against the PDP in the coming general elections.
8. That the role the Nigerian Army played in safeguarding the electionsin Ekiti and Osun States remainscommendable, togeneral acclaim, locallyand internationally.
9. The APCand their cronies are the ones known foranti-democratic tendencies. Where was Sahara Reporters when freeand fairlocal government electionswere annulled bythe APCin LagosState?
10. Thatbeyond thisstatement, Senator Obanikoro will not dignifythe immoral constructofthe APCthrough its hired media platformswithany further response. Senator Obanikoro refusestobe distracted bythe failed anticsofthe APCand is focusing onthe re-election ofPresident GoodluckJonathan.
11. ThatSenator Obanikoro is initiating legal action againstSahara Reporters in New York and Nigeria fordefamationof character.
Signed
Ohimai Godwin Amaize
Special Adviser on Media Strategy toSenator MusiliuObanikoro
"Our attention hasbeen drawn to an audio recording released on Thursday bySahara Reporters, an online news website. In the audio recording, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro is presented ashaving aconversation alongside current Governor of EkitiState, Ayodele Fayose, Senator IyiolaOmisore amongstother names purportedly identified by SaharaReporters as participants in the said meeting".
But these are the facts:
1. That SenatorObanikoro wishes tostate categoricallyand emphaticallythat youwill never find him anywhere in the world talkingaboutrigging an election in favour ofanyone. The context ofthe conversation being reported bySaharaReporters has been deliberately concocted, manipulated and misrepresented toachieve a predetermined narrative. Nowhere in the purported recording did Senator Obanikoro mention directly or indirectly a plan torig the Ekiti State electionsas the Sahara Reporters narrative suggests.
2. That SenatorObanikoro’s team was approached byan agent ofSahara Reporters topay forthe doctored recording. Senator Obanikoro’s refusal to be blackmailed led toSaharaReporters going ahead topublishthe said recording.
3. That it is an open knowledge that Sahara Reporters is a paid mouthpiece ofthe opposition AllProgressives Congress (APC) and as such cannotbe takenseriouslyand credibly.
4. That the eventual timing ofthe release of the doctored audio comingon the eve of the ruling ofthe Osun State Election Petitions Tribunal makes it even more sinister. For allintents and purposes, it is a failedattempttocompromise the outcome ofthe Tribunal ruling and set the tone for publicsympathyin the event ofan unfavorableruling.
5. Old habits die hard. The APCis known forits manipulative anticsin the manufacturingofforgedcertificates, hacking, propaganda and now the doctoring ofaudio recordings.
6. That Dr. Kayode Fayemi and the APC havefailed toexplain how their gross unpopularity led tothe loss oftheir wards and local governments toPDP’s Ayodele Fayose.
7. That therewas a Tribunal set up forthe Ekiti Election. Why was this audiorecording notpresented tothat Tribunal? Having lost an election woefullyand at the Election Petitions Tribunal, thisis nothing short ofa lame after-thought and a futile attempt to pervert the minds ofunsuspecting Nigerians against the PDP in the coming general elections.
8. That the role the Nigerian Army played in safeguarding the electionsin Ekiti and Osun States remainscommendable, togeneral acclaim, locallyand internationally.
9. The APCand their cronies are the ones known foranti-democratic tendencies. Where was Sahara Reporters when freeand fairlocal government electionswere annulled bythe APCin LagosState?
10. Thatbeyond thisstatement, Senator Obanikoro will not dignifythe immoral constructofthe APCthrough its hired media platformswithany further response. Senator Obanikoro refusestobe distracted bythe failed anticsofthe APCand is focusing onthe re-election ofPresident GoodluckJonathan.
11. ThatSenator Obanikoro is initiating legal action againstSahara Reporters in New York and Nigeria fordefamationof character.
Signed
Ohimai Godwin Amaize
Special Adviser on Media Strategy toSenator MusiliuObanikoro
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment