A former governorship aspirant under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State, Banji Okunomo, has denied making a statement that was intended to denigrate the Ijaw in the build-up to the 2023 House of Representatives election in Ilaje/Ese-Odo Federal Constituency of the state.

He said that any negative comment about the people of Arogbo-Ijaw did not emanate from him and as such should be disregarded.

In a statement in Akure, Okunomo, said: “My attention has just been drawn to a statement that was ascribed to me at the PDP stakeholders’ meeting.

“In the statement, they said I described the Arogbo/Ijaw people as interlopers in Ilaje/Ese-Odo Federal Constituency.

“I want to deny the statement they said I made against the corporate existence of my brothers in Ese-Odo, especially Arogbo-ljaw.

“I never said that the ljaw people are interlopers. That statement is from the pit of hell. It is not true and I never made such statement.

“I never made any statement to disparage the ljaw people regarding the House of Representatives election in 2023.”

An online publication had quoted Okunomo to have said that “it is an insult for Arogbo-Ijaw people to drag the House of Representatives seat with Ilaje.

The publication had claimed Okunomo described Arogbo/Ijaw people as interlopers in Ilaje/Ese-Odo Federal Constituency.