Less than 24 hours after he reconciled with Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, embattled Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Dr. Temitope Aluko said yesterday that he was set up.
Two months ago, Aluko went on television to spill the beans on how the 2014 governorship election was allegedly manipulated with money and soldiers in Fayose’s favour.
But, yesterday, said at a press conference in Lagos that Fayose orchestrated the purported reconciliation to rubbish the startling revelation he earlier made about his election.
“I need to emphasise that all that transpired at Eko Hotel on that faithful was organised propaganda, drama to stain my image and malign my personal integrity and, I believe it would be a good script for Nollywood.”
He continues: “I received a call from two senior members of the party; one of them is a serving senator and the other, a former governor. I was told to come to Eko Hotel to meet with them and I went in company of my wife.
“We were half way in the discussion which they tagged ‘peace parley.’ It should be noted that no reference was made to the 2014 governorship election and the aftermath, including my revelation to the public about the way the election was manipulated in favour of Fayose.
“I was shocked to see Fayose who walked into the meeting at this point.
It is worthy of note that it was at this point that my wife barged into the meeting to inform me that he noticed the presence of newsmen downstairs and said, “there is a problem” but it was Fayose that interrupted her and said ,” Madam, there is no problem” but, my wife insisted and said she overheard them saying that they were called back with an sms from Fayose “because T.K Aluko is around; he is around.” At that point, I became enraged and decided to leave the place but I noticed Fayose rushed after me in a Gestapo manner.
“My wife was already fidgeting and almost crying and, suddenly, I could not find her around me. Immediately I realised that I needed to oblige to Fayose’s instruction of facing the press because of the safety of my family.”
Aluko further emphasised that “one fact remains clear and that is; nowhere did I refute anything I had earlier said before Nigerians and the whole world about the manipulations that characterised the 2014 Governorsip elections in Ekiti.”
In a swift reaction, Fayose’s Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, described Aluko as “good riddance to bad rubbish.”
Olayinka, who said “no sane mind will keep glorifying a perjurer and unstable character, who speaks from both sides of his mouth with undeserving reply.
“We don’t want a Judas in the PDP and anywhere near the government and that has been made clear…” (Daily Sun)
Aluko seems to have lost the plot. Coercive statement to the press is not a done thing and conflicts with immediate past disclosure and thus, a loss of credibility and authenticity of his person. Little wonder he was unable to say more than ‘we are moving forward’.. Same-old-same-old Yoruba ploy: for self gratification. And has Fayose now promised to make Aluko chief of staff? By their fruit, you shall know them.