Ogun Commissioner refutes viral video on alleged sexual harassment

Bankole Taiwo, Abeokuta

Ogun State Commissioner for Environment, Hon Abiodun Abudu-Balogun has said that the viral video making the rounds where a 16 year old secondary school, one Melojuekun Barakat Mayowa had alleged that he sexually harassed her was a blatant lie and cheap blackmail from his political adversaries.

Hon Abiodun Abudu-Balogun said that he had rather used his brand of politics to empower the youth for a glorious future and not to sexually harass or molest them.

In the viral video, Melojuekun Barakat who claimed to be a 16 year old SS3 student of Victory Model College, Abigi, Ogun Waterside local government had among other things alleged that the former federal lawmaker sexually harassed her in his house at Ibiade on December 31, 2020.

Barakat alleged that she had gone to the Commissioner’s house with his Uncle, Mr Lasisi Saheed aka Mayor who had informed her that the Commissioner was said to be looking for people like her who could operate computer.

She stated further that it was while she was with the Commissioner that he had attempted to rape her and that she was let off the hook having resisted and threatened to shout to call for the help of people outside

However, in a statement signed by Hon Abiodun Abudu-Balogun and made available to newsmen on Saturday, the Commissioner described these allegations as lies from the pit of hell and a mischievous attempt to tarnish his hard earned reputation by his political adversaries.

The Commissioner said “on this said day, the girl was brought to my house by one of my loyalists who is her Uncle, to assist her get a job as a Computer Operator at the ICT Centre I facilitated while I was serving as a member of House of Representatives years back which has been moribund but I am about to rehabilitate in order to empower more youths in our local government.

“I met her at my sitting room for few minutes where many of my loyalists are, people that came to visit me for the New Year. I chatted with the lady for few minutes and as part of my usual gesture, I gave her some amount of money for her transportation.

” A day after, I was informed by some people that I have been alleged to have attempted to sexually harrass the girl and I should invite the family for a meeting so as to settle the matter amicably. It was after my refusal to yield to their threats that they went ahead to make a teleguided video leading the lady on what to say to implicate me. This is purely a political blackmail by my adversaries.

“Let me state emphatically that I never attempted to sexually harrass anyone. I therefore plead with my fans and loyalists to be calm and not engage anyone on the said matter as it is been handled by the Police and my legal team”.