The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti state has denied claims made by the former Governor of the state, Mr Ayodele Fayose over the alleged selling of the secretariat of the party located at Ajilosun area of the state capital.
Fayose had last week while addressing party members in Afao-Ekiti disclosed that the secretariat has been sold with the knowledge of the State Working Committee (SWC) of the party.
However, addressing journalists in Ado-Ekiti on Thursday, the chairman of the party, Mr. Gboyega Oguntuwase denied the position canvassed by the former governor, describing it as, ” misleading, malicious and condemnable.”
Oguntuwase noted that the SWC members never signed any documents as regards the selling of the building, adding that their signatures was allegedly forged.
According to him, Fayose called him to sign documents towards selling of the property with a promise of money but said he turned down all adventures from the former governor.
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He said the party would soon take up all means legally towards retrieving the property from the alleged buyers.
Oguntuwase said, ” Fayose said or alleged that the secretariat of the party has been sold with the knowledge of the party Chairman and members of the State Working Committee. With due respect to his person, we consider the statement as misleading, malicious, and condemnable. We would have called it outright falsehood, but for the sake of modesty and for the future peace of this party, we will not use this language.
” What he said that we sold the property in collaboration with him, is cruel, untrue and slanderous. I believe that by that statement, he has committed libel on a high scale. To the best of my knowledge as chairman of the party, and to the knowledge of many SWC members, we have not sold the secretariat. I want to tell you that any document they have, it is an absolute falsehood. It is true he approached me to sign a document, but I told him, it was going to be a disservice to the party. I still stand by that. Those who are claiming to be Fayose’s, can’t be more Fayose than us. But we know where to draw the line of respect for party leaders, and the truth and godliness.
” I told him I cant sign and I did not sign. God of heaven knows that that was exactly what transpired in his house. He even asked me what I want to take and I told him I can’t take such a sacrilegious offering. Our property, if it has been sold via fraud, shall be recovered via thorough legal action that will be taken by this party. We have received assurances from loyal party leaders that they are with us. If they have put somebody signature, it must have been signature got through another transaction to have an appearance of legality. It is trite in law that the expression of your mind is germane to the making of any document. My mind never signed, the action of signing was not done by me. And I cant sign a document that I don’t know the buyer. I never met the buyer.
“He claim that the property was sold at foundation level, but we monitored the construction up to the second and third floor. So, it is untrue that we have sold the property and if the governor has done it, he should retrace his step and surrender the document to the party. Up till now, all the documents are with Fayose. If we have sold the property, the document will be in our custody. He used one of us to take the document illegally from the secretariat. We are not against this man, but we are against his action and we are unrepentant about it. God of heaven will judge us if he took us into confidence before selling that property. Being a senior citizen, he has obligation not to lie.”
Responding, the former governor said he would not join issues with the chairman over the selling of the party secretariat.
Speaking through his media aide, Lere Olayinka said,” We are not going to join issues with anybody on that matter or any other matter concerning the party.”
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