Governor Kayode Fayemi has debunked claims by Comrade Adams Oshiomhole that he begged him to help rig an election for him, saying that there could have been no need for that given what the governor described as his stellar achievements.

Noting that even when he was declared a loser of the Ekiti State governorship election in 2007 that he spent years battling in the courts and also when he lost in 2014 that he conceded without resorting to rigging.

Fayemi and Oshiomhole had had their issues in the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC with claims that the outgoing Ekiti governor mobilized the governors to remove Oshiomhole as national chairman of the party in 2020.

Reacting in a statement made available to GWGNG, through his spokesman, Yinka Oyebode, Fayemi said:

“The allegation, which was made on a national television, is not only false, puerile and laughable, it is a figment of the imagination of the former APC Chairman as Governor Fayemi has never asked Oshiomhole to rig any election for him or any other person and never had any reason to ask for such.

“Members of the public are therefore urged to disregard the allegations by Comrade Oshiomhole, who apparently is still experiencing a post traumatic stress disorder on account of his removal as Chairman of APC.

“It is on record, Dr Fayemi was not responsible for Comrade Oshiomhole’s removal as Chairman of the APC. He has his ward executives and the courts to blame for that.

“The Ekiti State Governor has always considered Comrade Oshiomhole a friend and political associate even if they had fundamental differences over his kangaroo approach of disqualifying Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, from the APC primaries and his unconscionable autocratic management of party affairs whilst he was chairman of the party.

“For avoidance of doubt, Governor Fayemi has no reason to approach Comrade Oshiomhole for favours for any election. Governor Fayemi has a stellar track record of being a consummate democrat even in difficult times.

“Many Nigerians can easily recall his historic concession speech in 2014 in an election that was clearly lost to electoral sleight of hand at the behest of the then People’s democratic Party (PDP) –led Federal Government. Others will also recall how he spent years in court patiently pursuing the retrieval of his stolen mandate between 2007 and 2010. He has demonstrated nothing but decency, decorum and fidelity to the rule of law in all his years in politics and public office.

Fayemi while challenging Oshiomhole to produce evidence of the plea to rig the election, said: “We challenge Mr Oshiomhole to provide the public with independently verifiable evidence of his unsubstantiated claims, if true.

“Governor Fayemi remains steadfast in the pursuit of his aspiration to get the APC ticket for the 2023 presidential election. No amount of mudslinging from disenchanted individuals would distract or discourage him.”