Some APC Members Sponsoring Media Campaigns Against My Perceived Interest In 2023 Presidency – Fayemi

Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi has alleged that some people within the All Progressives Congress (APC) are sponsoring negative opinions about him in public.

He alleged that the detractors are using some faceless political groups to defame him and give the public a bad representation of him due to his perceived interest in the 2023 presidency.

The Governor in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Yinka Oyebode said the persons within the APC are scared of his rising political profile and are going about sponsoring lies in an attempt to demarket him ahead of the 2023 presidential elections.

“The general public is hereby alerted of a fresh plot by some political interests to activate a spate of negative media campaigns against the person of Dr Kayode Fayemi, Governor of Ekiti State and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF),” Oyebode said.

“The plot, as uncovered, is to use some faceless political groups and political jobbers from different parts of the country to defame the Ekiti State Governor.

“Specifically, the plan is to use the faceless groups to discredit Governor Fayemi and portray him as unacceptable to the generality of the people across the six geo-political zones of the country. This plot is part of their game plan for the 2023 presidential contest.”

Speaking specifically on his principal contesting the 2023 presidency, Oyebode stated that Fayemi remains focused and committed to leading the people of Ekiti State and has not declared any interest in replacing President Muhammadu Buhari.

He, therefore, urged members of the public to disregard any sponsored campaign targeted at discrediting the Ekiti State Governor.

“For the avoidance of doubt, Dr Fayemi has not told anyone that he is in the race for the Presidency of Nigeria. He has always maintained that he is on duty in Ekiti and would like to concentrate on that assignment. What he does afterwards is in the hands of God and he will cross that bridge at the appropriate time. He restated this position during his most recent interview with Arise TV on January 1, 2022.

“Some entrenched interests within the ruling All Progressives Congress, however, seem uncomfortable with the rising profile of the NGF Chairman and have resorted to cheap blackmail aimed at de-marketing him.

“We urge members of the public to disregard the potpourri of lies and cheap blackmail that could be released in the coming days, while the promoters of this smear campaign are advised to concentrate on marketing their aspiration to the good people of Nigeria without recourse to defamation or character assassination of perceived competitors.

“The Nigerian Constitution states clearly the qualifications for the position of the President of the country. Every qualified adult has the right to aspire to the number one position. Therefore, we do not believe it is proper, decent or strategic for any aspirant to think his campaign can only gather momentum when he destroys the reputation of a fellow citizen who is perceived as a possible opponent,” he said.