The Ogun State government has refuted the news report that the state governor, Dapo Abiodun, was distributing expired COVID-19 palliatives and N5,000 to the civil servants in the state ahead of the March 18 governorship election.
In a statement signed by the Chi f Press Secretary,CPS, to the governor, Kunle Somorin, the state government, on Sunday, described the report published by an online medium, the Peoples Gazette, on March 11, as not only false but a totally fabricated and deliberately hatched report to tarnish the personality of Governor Abiodun.
Somorin in the statement expressed dismay at the writer’s disregard for the ethics of journalism by relying on hearsay and not hard facts or evidence before writing the report.
The CPS further averred that the reporter, who never reflected the angle of Governor Abiodun’s administration on any issue, even when given enough facts to counter false claims, had since inception of the incumbent administration been unnecessarily hostile.
Somorin added that the line of questioning of the reporter whenever he called to get the government’s response on issues had always shown that he was predetermined to write only negative reports about the state government.
The statement, however, denied that Governor Abiodun distributed expired COVID-19 palliatives and money from the Federal Government’s relief funds to woo civil servants for election, saying the report was the handiwork of members of the opposition, who have found the reporter a willing tool to convey their fairy tales.
The statement further reiterated that Governor Abiodun had never, and would never induce the electorate to get their votes, but rather has a strong conviction that his administration’s good work will speak for him at the polls.
Urging the people of Ogun State to disregard the report by the People’s Gazette, Somorin said that it is part of the deliberate and continued ploy by members of the opposition in the state to discredit Governor Abiodun ahead of next Saturday’s election.
The state government called on the people not to be swayed by naked lies, covered with the garb of a news report, adding they should troop out next Saturday and vote for Governor Abiodun.
