The Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) has revealed the people behind the attacks on its leader, Otunba Gani Adams.
The group’s revelation was contained in a statement issued on Thursday by its publicity secretary, Hakeen Ologunro, a copy obtained by Vanguard.
In the statement, the OPC distanced itself from the activities of those who alleged in a statement that they have been betrayed by Gani Adams, saying: the attackers were expelled members of the congress.
“The actions of a faceless group, which calls itself the OPC National Coordinating Council has come to our notice. The group, comprising people who were expelled from the OPC as far back as 2007, claimed in a press statement that they have been betrayed by Otunba Gani Adams. This allegation by the shady characters who signed the statement is indeed laughable,” Ologunro said.
The publicity secretary said the group were claiming to be members of an organisation they were shamefully expelled from, as a drowning man tries to hold on to anything to stay afloat.
“The group, claiming to be members of an organization they were expelled from more than three years now, is nothing but a drowning man trying to cling to everything in sight to stay afloat. And of course, we are not unaware that the action of the group is the hand of Peter and voice of Paul. They are only being used by some politicians to attack the OPC,” he said.
Ologunro, while discrediting the group, further berated them that in their ignorance they mentioned the pipeline contract recently given to the OPC as an effort by President Goodluck Jonathan to buy the Yoruba votes, noting that they did not know that the said contract had actually started more than two years ago.
“However, while it would not be necessary to honour them by replying their statement point by point, we would, however, want the public to know that this group of people is only out to remake themselves and to seek the attention, which they know that they will get by attacking the person of Otunba Gani Adams. But they have forgotten or have simply refused to acknowledge the fact that the beautiful roles Otunba Adams has played in Yorubaland cannot be rubbished or obliterated,” he said.
The publicity secretary gave the name of the major perpetrator of these discriminating attacks as Shina Akinpelu, who was indeed a member of the OPC in Ibadan, but was expelled from the organisation after he engaged in anti-congress activities in 2013.
Ologunro revealed that two weeks ago, Akinpelu came to Lagos from his Ibadan abode to plead with Otunba Gani Adams to reconsider the dismissal and allow him to come back, assuring him that he was a changed man.
“At that meeting, Otunba Adams, in his usual manner, told Akinpelu that he bore no grudge against him and gave him money. But like the leopard, Akinpelu has confirmed that he can never be reformed,” he said.
The Gani Adams faction of the OPC, accompanied by members of the Goodluck Jonathan campaign organisation, took to the streets in Lagos to demand the removal of the INEC boss ahead of the March 28 general elections.
The ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has distanced itself from the Pro-Goodluck Jonathan protest held in Lagos on March 16 that paralysed parts of the city and triggered mixed reactions from Nigerians, but despite criticism from some faction of the congress, Gani Adams recently explained why he and his group are loyal supporters of President Jonathan.
Gani Adams, who is a dire hard supporter of Jonathan, was one of the leaders of socio-cultural groups who met the president individually in Lagos recently and there were reports that the president doled out hundreds of thousands of dollars to the groups and their leaders.
The group’s revelation was contained in a statement issued on Thursday by its publicity secretary, Hakeen Ologunro, a copy obtained by Vanguard.
In the statement, the OPC distanced itself from the activities of those who alleged in a statement that they have been betrayed by Gani Adams, saying: the attackers were expelled members of the congress.
“The actions of a faceless group, which calls itself the OPC National Coordinating Council has come to our notice. The group, comprising people who were expelled from the OPC as far back as 2007, claimed in a press statement that they have been betrayed by Otunba Gani Adams. This allegation by the shady characters who signed the statement is indeed laughable,” Ologunro said.
The publicity secretary said the group were claiming to be members of an organisation they were shamefully expelled from, as a drowning man tries to hold on to anything to stay afloat.
“The group, claiming to be members of an organization they were expelled from more than three years now, is nothing but a drowning man trying to cling to everything in sight to stay afloat. And of course, we are not unaware that the action of the group is the hand of Peter and voice of Paul. They are only being used by some politicians to attack the OPC,” he said.
Ologunro, while discrediting the group, further berated them that in their ignorance they mentioned the pipeline contract recently given to the OPC as an effort by President Goodluck Jonathan to buy the Yoruba votes, noting that they did not know that the said contract had actually started more than two years ago.
“However, while it would not be necessary to honour them by replying their statement point by point, we would, however, want the public to know that this group of people is only out to remake themselves and to seek the attention, which they know that they will get by attacking the person of Otunba Gani Adams. But they have forgotten or have simply refused to acknowledge the fact that the beautiful roles Otunba Adams has played in Yorubaland cannot be rubbished or obliterated,” he said.
The publicity secretary gave the name of the major perpetrator of these discriminating attacks as Shina Akinpelu, who was indeed a member of the OPC in Ibadan, but was expelled from the organisation after he engaged in anti-congress activities in 2013.
Ologunro revealed that two weeks ago, Akinpelu came to Lagos from his Ibadan abode to plead with Otunba Gani Adams to reconsider the dismissal and allow him to come back, assuring him that he was a changed man.
“At that meeting, Otunba Adams, in his usual manner, told Akinpelu that he bore no grudge against him and gave him money. But like the leopard, Akinpelu has confirmed that he can never be reformed,” he said.
The Gani Adams faction of the OPC, accompanied by members of the Goodluck Jonathan campaign organisation, took to the streets in Lagos to demand the removal of the INEC boss ahead of the March 28 general elections.
The ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has distanced itself from the Pro-Goodluck Jonathan protest held in Lagos on March 16 that paralysed parts of the city and triggered mixed reactions from Nigerians, but despite criticism from some faction of the congress, Gani Adams recently explained why he and his group are loyal supporters of President Jonathan.
Gani Adams, who is a dire hard supporter of Jonathan, was one of the leaders of socio-cultural groups who met the president individually in Lagos recently and there were reports that the president doled out hundreds of thousands of dollars to the groups and their leaders.
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