Friday, 29th March 2024
To guardian.ng
Search
Breaking News:

Mimiko refutes bribery allegation, urges prayer for peace

By Oluwaseun Akingboye Akure
04 November 2016   |   4:08 am
A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Eni Akinsola, said the allegation was scripted by Jimoh Ibrahim and his agent, Biyi Poroye, to distract the judiciary and confuse the public.
 Olusegun Mimiko

Olusegun Mimiko

Governor Olusegun Mimiko has debunked the allegation of bribing justices of the Court of Appeal.

A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Eni Akinsola, said the allegation was scripted by Jimoh Ibrahim and his agent, Biyi Poroye, to distract the judiciary and confuse the public.

He said: “We have heard of the grave, but specious allegation by one Poroye and Ibrahim that Mimiko openly boasted about offering a bribe to some justices of the Appeal Court in respect of the cases before their Lordships on the 2016 election in Ondo State.

“We say, without any equivocation, that the governor did not offer bribe of any amount or boasted of doing so to any justice of the Court of Appeal.”

Poroye, who is the factional state chairman of the party, had in a petition to the Court of Appeal Panel on the Ondo case, alleged that Mimiko bribed the justices and boasted about his action.

The governor explained that the allegation was an obvious lie which should ordinarily have been discountenanced, but for the fact that more than ever before, lies were believed more than the truth.

“With the prevalence of blackmail, propagation of lies and outright falsehood in the Ondo election, we hasten to say that this ungodly lie is what it is, a concoction from the pit of hell.”

Mimiko, who welcomed the effort of the courts to investigate the allegation, also hinted that he might go to court to prove his innocence.

Meanwhile, amid threats of violence in the coming election, Mimiko has urged religious leaders to pray for peace.

The governor spoke in Akure yesterday when he addressed christian leaders from the 18 local council areas at a ministers’ conference.

Represented by his Chief of Staff, Dr. Kola Ademujimi, he said the prayers were the reasons for peace in his administration.

Mimiko enjoined them to pray for free, fair and credible election so that the will of God and the people would come to pass.

He explained that the theme of the conference: “The Role of the Church in National Development,” was timely, adding that the church has a crucial role to play at this era of multiple challenges in the country.

The State Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. John Ayo Oladapo, said the transformation of the country must start from each family.

He added that Christian leaders must not be found wanting in the task of bringing genuine change in the country.

Oladapo urged them to serve as agents of transformation and never to succumb to oppression, intimidation and attempts by any force to silence them.

He said: “We must be ready to take some practical steps to liberate ourselves from oppression. We must never be compromised and not be partakers in worldly affairs.

“We are to shine as light of the world and never to compromise. We must be blameless in this corrupt world.”

The CAN chairman implored Christians to be alive to their responsibilities as the state prepares to elect a new governor in the state.

0 Comments