I moved motion for Ogun consensus gov candidate under threat, Oladunjoye alleges

He is a serial liar, APC insists
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Tunde Oladunjoye, who moved the motion for the adoption of Abdulkadiri Abiodun Akinlade as consensus candidate for the 2019 governorship election, yesterday said he did so under duress.

He alleged that APC leaders in the state threatened him to either move the motion or suffer dire consequences before and after the 2019 polls.

Oladunjoye also claimed that state Chairman of the Party Chairman, Derin Adebiyi asked him to, as a matter of necessity, praise Governor Ibikunle Amosun and move a motion for Akinlade’s endorsement or suffer dire consequences.

But in a swift reaction, the party described Oladunjoye as an unreliable person who has “a legendary habit of telling lies, insisting that his allegation was false.

A statement by the party’s Publicity Secretary, Wale Elegbede in Abeokuta, stressed that Oladunjoye voluntarily moved the motion, adding however, that Akinlade is Governor Amosun’s anointed candidate.

Elegbede explained that the governor convened a meeting of party leaders in the three senatorial districts at Government House, Abeokuta to seek their support for Akinlade and at the end, Ogun West, Ogun Central and Ogun East unanimously endorsed Akinlade as their consensus candidature.

“Oladunjoye, who moved the motion comes from Ogun East district where there are five governorship aspirants who are all prepared to contest with Akinlade, who is from Ogun West,” the statement added.

However, Oladunjoye, a former deputy governorship aspirant under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said: “At a point, the governor sent the party Secretary, Dare Ogunde to call me in. I was surprised, wondering why I was invited as the meeting was almost rounding off.

“When the issue of Ogun East having to endorse the Yewa consensus candidate was raised by the Senatorial Chairman, Alhaji Yakubu, I raised my hand to speak after few of them have spoken.

“As I stood up to speak, Adebiyi called me to the other side of the table where he sat with other leaders and whispered to me that I must praise the governor and move a motion for Akinlade’s endorsement, else dire consequences await me.”

While announcing his decision to quit the APC, he stated that he never expected the threat and right there at the Government House, he had no choice but to move the motion under duress, adding: “As my life was under threat and as a trained journalist, I was taught the rules of safety first, and so I did the needful there and then.”