Although the 2019 general election is less than three years away, ambition to contest the next poll has turned some members of the Ekiti State House of Assembly against one another in a bid to reposition themselves for higher offices.
Chairman, House Committee on Information, Gboyega Aribisogan, has accused a colleague of blackmail with the intent to turn him against Governor Ayo Fayose ahead of the 2019 polls.
Addressing a news conference in Ado Ekiti, the state capital on Friday, Aribisogan who represents Ikole Constituency 1 denies holding secret meeting with Senator Buruji Kashamu and other politicians perceived to be enemies of Fayose in a bid to bring down his administration.
He claimed that the particular lawmaker is stoking the fire of crisis of confidence between him and Fayose to gain advantage to win the House of Representatives seat for Oye/Ikole Federal Constituency.
Aribisogan said he had no reason to gang up against Fayose having been part of those who worked hard to ensure his victory at the 2014 governorship poll accusing those peddling the rumour of alleged disloyalty are working to divide the Assembly.
The Deputy Speaker, Olusegun Adewumi narrowly escaped impeachment while Aribisogan also escaped suspension from the Assembly earlier in the week by their colleagues for allegedly hobnobbing with Kashamu and some personalities perceived as enemies of Fayose within and outside the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Others that were alleged to be holding meetings with include former PDP Secretary in Ekiti, Dr. Tope Aluko; presidential aide, Babafemi Ojudu and Lagos lawyer, Femi Falana.
Aribisogan said: “Let me put on record here that except the time I accompanied Governor Fayose to Buruji in 2014 and recently when I met him in company of the governor, I never had any personal dealing with him.
“For Falana and Ojudu, I have been a major critic of their roles in Ekiti project and they can never in their wildest imaginations invite me to any clandestine meeting and they are all alive to corroborate or deny the claims.
“I am a steadfast and major critical stakeholder in Fayose’s emergence as Governor of Ekiti right from the primaries to the governmental level.
“I have repeatedly spoken about my absolute belief and commitment in the government of Fayose and its policies, even at most difficult times and I can’t be a sellout at this time when the battle is presumed to have been won.
“On the other side, a particular lawmaker in the house was plotting to undermine Ikole constituency in the 2019 elections and he was behind the gossip, blackmail and intrigues in the House to cause a serious rift between me and Mr Governor.
“I hereby want to reiterate and reaffirm my commitment and loyalty to His Excellency, Governor Fayose and the government of Ekiti State.”
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