George denies statement on INEC chair’s visit to Tinubu

Former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic (PDP), Chief Olabode George, has condemned a statement attributed to him, accusing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, of sneaking to Lagos State to see the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, and others on Saturday night.

The Atona Oodua of Yorubaland described as laughable the statement, which quoted him to have said that Yakubu came to Lagos and left for Abuja in Tinubu’s private jet.

The statement credited to George reads: “INEC Chairman should tell Nigerians what he came to Ikoyi, Lagos, to do last night being February 25, 2023. INEC Chairman, Yakubu, sneaked into Lagos at night and met with some unknown persons in Ikoyi, Lagos. My main concern is that he arrived and left in Tinubu’s private jet.”

But George said: “The senseless statement they are circulating, quoting me to have said INEC Chairman came to Lagos to see Tinubu and others is not from me. This must have emanated from demented souls. It is part of a Luciferic strategy to cause confusion in the polity. I don’t work at the control tower or cargo section of the airport. Also, I am not an official of INEC. So, how will I know the movement of INEC Chairman?

“Everybody knows he is in Abuja as the Chief Returning Officer of the presidential election. Does it make sense to issue a statement that he came to Lagos to see Tinubu and others on Saturday when everybody was watching him live on television?”

The PDP said he returned home with his wife, after voting, to watch coverage of the election by various television stations.He added: “So, when did I issue the statement? This must have come from mischief-makers. Nobody can use me to score cheap political points. Prominent Nigerians have been calling me because of this senseless statement. The only point I want to make is that where there are no skirmishes, results should be transmitted immediately. I strongly suspect those who don’t want BVAS are behind this nonsensical statement.

“I am an electronic engineer, with 53 years of practice. If these people are not criminally minded, is it allowed for anybody, aside INEC, to transmit results? Where I voted, we have the results. I know that any attempt to doctor results will lead to chaos.

“I want to tell Nigerians that I did not author any statement on INEC Chairman’s meeting Tinubu or anybody in Lagos or anywhere. It must have come from people suffering from undiluted lunacy.”