The leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Epe Division, Lagos State, Alhaji Akanni Seriki, has said that the people of the sub-zone will vote for the ruling party in next year’s elections.
He denied the allegation that he was instrumental to the defection of former Commissioner for Science and Technology Wale Oluwo to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying he had no contact and interaction with the defector.
Seriki told reporters in Lagos that he is not against the choice of Senator Tony Adefuye as the Lagos East APC leader, stressing that he has been discharging his duties as his deputy in the district.
He said those who claimed that he was down with stroke were agents of division and jealous politicians who lacked the conscience, vision and pedigree, adding that they are serial defectors and “finish and go” politicians.
Reiterating his loyalty to the party and its leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, he said he will continue to be a progressive politician, unlike serial defectors desperately seeking relevance, following their retracing of steps to the progressive fold.
Seriki said Oluwo’s exit from the party will not affect the voting pattern in Epe, urging party members to ignore his antics and remain focused and loyal to the APC.
He said: “Electioneering is an era of rumours and misleading information. I did not ask Wale Oluwo and other few people to join the PDP. I am also not against Adefuye’s leadership. I have not seen Oluwo in the last two years, as it were. How can I ask him to defect? I used to see him on television. He used to dodge me during meetings.
“Since I joined politics, I have never left the progressive family. I have never been involved on anti-party activities. I am loyal to the party and our leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. As the leader of the progressive platform in Epe Division, I have always delivered. I have no contact or interaction with Wale Oluwo. He does not relate with any of us who is a leader. “
Seriki said as the undisputed APC leader in Epe, he had been contending with certain divisive forces, whose activities are being closely monitored to prevent damage to the progressive family.
He lamented that these forces were behind allegations against his leadership in the social media to blackmail him and portray him in bad light.
Seriki however, said their plot has failed because the majority of party members accepted him as a consistent and loyal leader.
He stressed: “I am the undisputed leader of the APC in Epe. I played a major role, along with other leaders, in the emergence of the party leadership at the ward and council levels during the party congresses. I contributed immensely to the emergence of the two candidates for the House of Assembly and the candidate for the House of Representatives. All the councillors and chairmen are my followers.
“As the leader of these progressive forces, how can I ask people to go to the PDP? It does not make sense that I should leave certainty for uncertainty. I am not like the serial defector and ‘finish and go’ politician. I enjoy the trust of the party leadership as a consistent and loyal party man. We have a monitoring group monitoring the activities of divisive elements and nemesis will catch up with them.”
Seriki reiterated the support of the leaders and people of Epe for the governorship candidate, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, saying that he is fit to succeed Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.
He also assured that they will vote for President Muhammadu Buhari and other candidates of the party in next year’s polls.
He said following the grievances arising from the primary, reconciliation committees have been set up in the two local government areas and two local council development areas to forge unity and cohesion at the wards and local councils.
Seriki added: “Epe will vote for APC more than it did in 2015.”