Ekiti 2018: Hate campaigns against me, sign of my popularity ―Segun Oni

A former governor of Ekiti State and All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in the state, Chief Segun Oni, has decried the hate campaigns mounted against him in the social media but said the smear campaign against his person and ambition was a pointer to his popularity as an aspirant.

Chief Oni, who lamented the name-calling and smear campaign was coming from within his APC, however said it was a sign that he was enjoying better popularity among the many aspirants jostling for the party’s ticket in the coming election.

Oni, who addressed newsmen in Ado Ekiti on the unrelenting social media attacks against his person, said he was not bothered about the attacks, saying his entry into the race was “a revolution” which such things could not deter.

Oni, who is the National Deputy Chairman (South) of the APC, said “the attacks from within the party” was allegedly by those he said were uncomfortable with his ambition to vie for the governorship of the state next year, saying those given the assignment to pull him down were only making him more popular.

According to him, his entry into the race was a revolution, and that “those who want to block the revolution of these young people are risking many things, including the wrath of the young people.”

Oni who said he was not desperate to become governor again stressed that his fate and that of other aspirants jostling for the party’s ticket would be decided by delegates expected to vote at the primary scheduled for the first quarter of 2018.

According to him, he was alleged to have met with Governor Ayodele Fayose, but denied holding any meeting with Governor Fayose at a hotel in Lagos to discuss the possibility of his crossing over to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to realise his ambition as alleged on various posts on the social media.

He also denied meeting with the PDP National Caretaker Committee Chairman, Alhaji Ahmed Makarfi, in his (Oni’s) at Ifaki-Ekiti in Ido/Osi Local Government Area.

The ex-governor urged his supporters and the people of the state not to believe the rumour and hate campaign mounted against him by people he described as “faceless individuals” on the social media saying he would not be distracted but remains focused on selling his ideas on better Ekiti to electorate.

Oni further disclosed that some individuals have written a petition against him to the party’s national secretariat demanding that he steps down immediately as Deputy National Chairman (South) contending that party constitution allows him to remain in that post one month before primary.

He said: “The attacks are from within the party and most of them are coming from the social media but I am not bothered at all because whatever that will be good will be rough initially. Some people have been given assignment to pull me down.

“The good will triumph over the evil and I want to say categorically that I will not be discouraged. Anybody who does not want Oni will either contest against him or support any aspirant. I am not desperate to be governor, will leave (my post) when the (party) constitution says I should leave.

“By saying that I met Fayose in a hotel in Lagos and Makarfi in my house in Ifaki, these people are overpricing me and I feel honoured if they continue to say that. The last one-on-one I had with Fayose was a day after Gen. Adebayo was buried when I brought the invitation from the Borisade family and congratulating for the honour done Baba Adebayo.

“I have never had one-on-one with Makarfi and if they are saying he was in my home, I feel honoured. Those saying this have nothing to sell but I have told my people not to abuse or attack anybody; if they have the product that is sellable, they should continue to sell it.”