From: Oluseyi Dasilva, Ilorin
Kwara state Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, has accused the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state of printing and circulating fake posters of his campaigning for votes in the forthcoming senatorial election in the state.
The Governor’s posters had reportedly been seen in communities in the southern Senatorial District of the state with inscriptions that read that he is canvassing for votes as a contestant in the district’s senatorial election.
The posters flooded the communities after the state Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had listed the governor as the PDP’s candidate for the senatorial election and the governor, in reaction, had insisted he is not the candidate but Rafiu Ibrahim on whose favour he had withdrawn from the race.
A media aide to the Governor, Muyideen Akorede, had, in his reaction when the posters surfaced at the weekend, said the Governor knew nothing about the posters because he was no longer contesting as he has insisted.
The Governor has however accused the APC of being the brain behind the posters according to a statement issued on Wednesday by Akorede.
The Governor in the statement alleged that APC did that as a ploy to whittle down the chances of victory of the PDP at the poll.
The statement quoted the Governor to have accused the opposition All Progressive Congress (APC) of masterminding the circulation of the fake posters in a futile attempt to cause confusion, having realised that the PDP is poised for victory at all levels in the forthcoming general elections.
The added “The Governor described the posters as fake since they were not approved, sanctioned or sponsored by him, since he is no longer the PDP Kwara South Senatorial candidate”.
Governor Ahmed, according to the statement, further stressed that he stands by his earlier decision to concede the ticket to Ibrahim in the interest of equity and fairness.
The statement also quoted the Governor as saying he formally withdrew from the senatorial race in full compliance with the provisions and processes specified by the Electoral Act.
The governor explained that on the basis of that decision, he has since campaigned for Senator Ibrahim as the candidate, and could therefore not have authorized the fake campaign posters.
