BY AYO ESAN
GOVERNOR Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has debunked reports that he is set to dump the Peoples Democratic Party on the basis of an internal crisis, saying the story is “a concocted falsehood from purveyors of fake news, who are bent on maligning the governor at all costs.”
Speaking through his Chief Press Secretary, Taiwo Adisa, Makinde maintained that, contrary to the fake news report, which was published by an online paper, he had no plan to join any other party.
According to the statement, the Governor has remained a strong pillar of the party for many years and is already leading the mission for its resurgence in the South-West.
The CPS noted that the report in question raised all the red flags of fake news, as it was based on unverifiable claims from an unnamed source, adding that if the journalist and the editors of the medium had done due diligence, such falsehood would not have found its way into the public sphere.
The media aide added that the attempt to launch the concocted story shortly after some media outfits had tried to exaggerate the governor’s exit from a WhatsApp platform that purportedly belongs to the PDP, was negatively ingenious.
He added that the publication was a clear signal that the war being waged against the Makinde administration through fake news and false alarms was showing no sign of abating.
The statement read in part, “There is a concocted lie doing the rounds about Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State planning to dump the PDP.
“This is the latest in the rounds of false reports and fake news, weapons which some individuals have employed to wage a needless war against the governor.
“It becomes imperative to attack the hydra-headed monster of fake news and false reports and this particular report raised all the red flags of fake news, as it was based on alleged hints from an individual who claimed not to want his name in print.”
It added, “The noble profession of journalism dictates that if a party makes insinuations about another party, the second party’s response should be sought. The reporter in question had access to the media unit of the governor but he chose to fly with the falsehood.
“This is the kind of story that would have had its place in the dust bins if the reporter and editors of the medium did due diligence on it.
“However, knowing that there is an agenda by some people to derail the Makinde administration with fake news, it is clear that any news, no matter how false or unverified, will be allowed to scale through the gate-keepers in the media, some of who are their allies.”
The statement maintained that apart from the governor not contemplating joining the African Democratic Congress or any other party for that matter, he would also not be distracted by the ridiculous lies being circulated by the enemies within and without.
“But we need to make something clear: no matter the amount of falsehood through fake news and false alarms, Governor Makinde will continue to remain focused on the mandate of developing Oyo State.
“If the purveyors of fake news and unscrupulous elements seeking to derail the administration think that their actions will slow down the governor in his determined pace to develop Oyo State, then they should have a rethink,” the statement said.
