The House of Representatives candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) for Yagba Federal Constituency, Kogi State, Oluwafemi Iselaiye has debunked rumours he had withdrawn from the race, with a call on his supporters to remain focused on his mission to win the election and provide the people with dependable representation in the lower house of the National Assembly.
He noted that the postponement of the elections by one week, by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), only delayed his victory in the election expressing confidence that the massive support and love shown him by the people during the electioneering will ensure his victory.
Iselaye, in a statement yesterday also accused his co-contestant, Leke Abejide, candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) of being behind the rumour that he (Iselaiye) had stepped down for him (Abejide).
Noting that he considered the withdrawal rumour an insult, he questioned the rationale for “stepping down for a candidate that is less popular”.
He said the Abejide campaign has been based entirely on the over flogged WAEC fees for a few final year students in public secondary schools, obviously with election in sight. He recalled that whereas, over the years, he and his team in the Oluwafemi Iselaiye Foundation (OIF), had touched lives in the various sectors of the economy of Yagbaland, including education such as payment of school fees, scholarships, notebooks and teaching aids, among others, without resorting to self-adulation. He said the way and manner Abejide and his campaign team is celebrating the purported WAEC fees, including display of figures on campaign posters and pamphletting has exposed the real intention behind the gesture as nothing else but “vote buying” and warned the electorate to ‘beware of falling for fraudulent tricks.
The statement further faulted the figures claimed variously to have been expended on WAEC fees by Abejide ranging from N40m, N43m to N44m for less than 2000 students at N12,000 per a student as statistically incongruous.
He noted that election postponement last Saturday only delayed his victory song and that for Abejide to resort to the “tissue of lies” that he (Iselaiye) withdrew from the race “underscores the fear of the imminent defeat awaiting his opponents”.
He further reaffirmed that, aside from his people oriented programmes, projects, free medical outreaches, hard at work and vigorous campaigns, his family ties and relationships cutting across Yagba spanning three decades, are a proof of his edge over other aspirants in the election.
“My father is from Isanlu, Yagba East; my mother hails from Ejiba in Yagba West. My paternal grandmother is from Makutu and connected to Takete Isao by marriage. My maternal grandmother hails from Egbe in Yagba West while my wife is from Igbaruku in the same Yagba West. I enjoyed my school days in Egbe and Mopamuro are wonderful friends. They’ve supported us all the way. Sometimes, it is very difficult to differentiate between friends and family members.
“I wish to assure all our supporters across all party lines and SDP members, specifically to disregard the rumour about my stepping down for any candidate and stay focused on our mission to win the election”, he said.
He added that: “Oluwafemi Daniel Iselaiye is still very much in the race for the House of Representatives (Yagba Federal Constituency, Kogi State) and with God and the people behind me, victory is certain. We are not in alliance with anybody, but only cooperating with all stakeholders to ensure free and fair election. I have not, and I am not contemplating stepping down for any candidate because we don’t have anything in common.
“The mandate we are pursing is sacrosanct to the development of Yagba land and Kogi State at large. Oluwafemi Daniel Iselaiye is propelled by the appalling situation in the constituency that in spite of its abundance, we are yet to achieve meaningful development”.
