Chief Olusegun Osoba, former Ogun State Governor has cleared air on the purported rumour that the N140m spent during the 2003 General Election was for vote buying.
Chief Osoba while shedding more light on rumour on Thursday explained that the money in question was meant for party agents across the state.
He clearly gave more details on the spending when the Editorial Board of Penpushing Media paid him a courtesy call at his private residence located in Government Reservation Area (GRA), Ibara, Abeokuta., the state capital.
Chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), expressed that the explanation became necessary following insinuations from some quarters that, the money was meant to buy votes, adding that there was no votes buying during the period.
He stated: “The N140 million was meant for party agents’ fee and not for buying votes as some may insinuate. There was no buying of votes during that time. The money was purely for payment of party agents.”
He insisted that he was rigged out of office, but added that he has since put behind him the controversial election, just as he called on journalists to join in the fight against fake news.
The former governor also hinted that many bloggers contributed to the spread of fake news, hence, the need for professionals to rise up to the challenges of addressing the menace before it caused further havoc for the profession.
The Chairman Editorial Board of Penpushing Media, Funke Fadugba earlier in her speech said, the visit by the team was to rejoice with Osoba for a successful knee operation, and wished him adequate recovery
‘As our father and leader in the profession, we thought it necessary to visit you, and rejoice with you after successful knee operations. We pray that God will perfect the healing.
“We are always proud of you as mentor to many of us, and pray that God will spare your life to do more’, Fadugba stated
Furthermore, she pointed out that Osoba is a comforter and shoulders that many people hold on to not to fall, and prayed for longetivity, and also called on him to help getting true leaders to navigate the country right in next political dispensation.