One of the founding members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and chieftain of the party in Oyo state, Elder Wole Oyelese on Thursday has disclosed that he was not in discussion with the candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Senator Teslim Folarin in the forthcoming governorship election.
He explained that as preparations for the 2023 gubernatorial and House of Assembly elections in the state are in top gear, there are campaigns, plans and strategies being mapped out by various parties and their candidates to ensure that they carry the day in the elections.
For this reason different stories and opinions are circulating in the media, which needs clarification in some areas.
According to him, “In a swift reaction to such stories and insinuations in some tabloids to the effect that a former Minister of Power and Steel, Elder Wole Oyelese is into consultations with the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the forthcoming gubernatorial and state assembly elections, this could be nothing but far from the truth.”
Elder Oyelese affirmed that at no time did he hold any meeting with any political party or group for the purpose of the forthcoming elections or any other issue for that matter.
He noted that he was not involved in the much publicised meeting between some PDP members and the APC candidate Sen Teslim Folarin.
“Our observations have revealed that as the election day draws near, visitations and consultations have been on the increase across party lines by the gladiators. One of such visitations being widely circulated and discussed on the media space is the courtesy visit to the Ikolaba residence of Elder Oyelese by the APC governorship candidate Senator Teslim Folarin”.
In his reaction to speculations generated by the visit , Elder Oyelese pointed out that there was nothing strange or unusual about the visit, however quickly dispelled rumours of his involvement with any political party or group in a coalition against the PDP.
Describing himself as a true party man and one of the founding fathers of the PDP in Oyo state, the former Minister described the story as the figment of the writer’s imagination.
He further stated that it is not in his character to pull down a house he has helped in building, noting that he fully understands the implications of such an action of working against ones political party.
Elder Oyelese advised the offending tabloids to desist from circulating unfounded rumours and find other means of selling their materials.