Bankole Taiwo, Abeokuta
The governorship candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State, Otunba Jimi Lawal has said that the allegation of forging delegates list as contained in a reported petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as well as Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) by the state chapter of the party loyal to Hon. Ladipupo Adebutu was baseless and lacks substance.
The opposition party had in a petition by its lawyer, Oladimeji Hassan Balogun, dated Thursday, October 27, urged EFCC and ICPC, to investigate Jimi Lawal and some officials of INEC in the state for allegedly suppressing the authentic delegates list of the party.
It had among other things called for investigation of Jimi Lawal for allegedly forging the delegates list presented to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the governorship primary election.
Speaking with our Correspondent on Wednesday, Media aide to Otunba Jimi Lawal, Austin Oniyokor described this allegation as nothing but frivolous and baseless.
Oniyokor said that as far the 2023 Ogun governorship race is concerned, Otunba Jimi Lawal is the candidate to beat.
He said, “The recent allegations are nothing but baseless, mere muckraking because these are issues that courts have made pronouncement and that is why the security agencies have done nothing on it because they are well aware that these are issues that courts have made pronouncement on upon which these people who are writing these petitions are appealing.
“They are in Court of Appeal at Ibadan as we speak, they are in Supreme Court over same matter at Abuja. They are now inviting EFCC, to come and do what? Are we talking about economic crime or what? This just shows that these people don’t have understanding, they are confused and they just want to throw spanner in the work, it is not done and they can’t make any headway.
“The people of the state should just remain calm and patient, Otunba Jimi Lawal is coming on board as an excellent public servant to show the people of the state a government of impact, a government that create opportunities for the people to realise their potentials and be progressive in every area of their lives.”