By Our Correspondent
The Media Office of the Member representing Ikenne, Sagamu and Remo North Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Dr. Princess Adesola Ayoola-Elegbeji, has condemned the circulation of what it described as a misleading campaign banner allegedly portraying an All Progressives Congress (APC) aspirant, Hon. Funmilayo Efuwape, as the current representative of the constituency in the National Assembly.
In a statement issued in Sagamu, Ogun State, the Media Office described the banner as false, deceptive and capable of creating confusion among members of the public regarding the constitutional occupant of the federal legislative seat.
The statement clarified that Hon. Funmilayo Efuwape remains an aspirant within the APC and has neither been elected nor sworn in as a member of the House of Representatives.
It reaffirmed that Hon. Dr. Princess Adesola Ayoola-Elegbeji remains the duly elected and constitutionally recognised representative of Ikenne, Sagamu and Remo North Federal Constituency, stressing that she will continue to discharge the mandate freely given to her by the electorate until the expiration of her tenure in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
According to the statement, the use of campaign materials portraying a political aspirant as the incumbent lawmaker undermines democratic principles and has the potential to mislead the public.
"The deliberate or negligent use of campaign materials that portray a candidate as the incumbent Member of the House of Representatives is misleading, capable of creating public confusion, and inconsistent with the principles of democratic accountability and responsible political communication. Political ambition must never be pursued at the expense of truth or constitutional order," the statement read.
The Media Office called on those responsible for producing and circulating the banner to immediately withdraw all such materials, issue appropriate corrections and desist from further publications capable of misrepresenting the status of the office.
It also urged party members, supporters, political stakeholders and residents of the constituency to distinguish between a party's consensus candidate or aspirant and the constitutionally recognised occupant of an elective office.
The statement emphasised that, under Nigeria's democratic system, no individual can assume public office without first being duly elected by the people and subsequently sworn into office in accordance with the law.
The office further advised residents of Ikenne, Sagamu and Remo North Federal Constituency to disregard the controversial banner and rely only on official communication channels of Hon. Dr. Princess Adesola Ayoola-Elegbeji for authentic information concerning her office and legislative activities.
Reaffirming its commitment to democratic values, the Media Office stressed that respect for constitutional governance, the sanctity of the electoral process and the integrity of public institutions must remain paramount as political activities ahead of future elections gather momentum.
The statement concluded by urging all political actors to conduct their campaigns responsibly, truthfully and within the bounds of the law in order to preserve public confidence in Nigeria's democratic process.
