We did NOT pick Boroffice – Alhaji Ali Olanusi

Contrary to a report peddled online and in print, that a serving Senator and gubernatorial aspirant, Professor Ajayi Boroffice has been picked by Akoko leaders, the Chairman of the Akoko Elders Special committee and BOT Member of the APC in Ondo State, Alhaji Ali Olanusi, has come out to distance himself from the report, declaring it a total sham. He gave a press statement yesterday after the news of the pseudo-endorsement broke, saying that the elders were already rounding off their consultations to pick a consensus Akoko candidate (alluding to the Elders decision 3 weeks ago to zone the emergence to Akoko-north), before the Ajayi Boroffice camp decided to breach the progress of their consultations by staging an “embarrassing” pseudo-endorsement arrangement.

Expectedly, the camp of supposed beneficiary of this sham arrangement, that is Prof. Boroffice, has suffered massive hit from the Ondo populace for attempting to mislead them for the umpteenth time with false news.

Read the full text of Alhaji Olanusi’s press release below:

“REFUTAL OF THE STORY: “HOW WE PICKED BOROFFICE, BY AKOKO ELDERS”
My attention has been drawn to a story captioned “How we picked Boroffice, by Akoko Elders.” Published on page 44 in Nation’s edition of Thursday, August, 2016.

I must confess that I am most disappointed at the level of dishonesty and unpatriotic stance of some of our elders in Akokoland.

The story referred to above, is entirely false and only exists in the imagination of the author. I hereby want to put the record straight and condemn in unmistakable terms the falsehood contained in the story and make very strong appeal for our people, especially the elite, to learn to imbibe a culture of truth at all times as truth exalts a nation.

AKOKO / APC ELDERS ASSEMBLY INVOLVEMENT
Sequel to the insistence of about six of the aspirants from Akoko in writing that they will only listen to me; the Ayegbusi-led Akoko Elders Assembly requested me to summon a meeting of the Assembly to discuss the issue of choosing a single Aspirant for Akoko in the forthcoming APC primary election in Ondo State. I therefore called the meeting which was held at Supare-Akoko on Tuesday 21st June, 2016.

The meeting was attended by about seventy (70) Elders and leaders of APC in Akoko; including seven aspirants, viz :-
Prof . Ajayi Boroffice
Dr. Segun Abraham
Rt. Hon. Victor Olabimtan
Hon. Gani Dauda
Mr. mayowa Adefemi
Alhaji Jamiu Olatunji
Dr. Tunji Abayomi

The major resolution of the meeting was a directive that I should inaugurate a committee to screen the aspirants. There and then I sought and obtained the concurrence of the meeting to include eminent indigenes of Akoko from Akoko Development Group (ADG) and Akoko Consultative Forum (ACF): two organs of Akoko which have always played leading roles in the development of Akokoland.

THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE
The committee comprise two persons (members of APC Elders assembly) from each of the four local governments of Akoko; myself; Chief Ayegbusi; the coordinating local government chairman of the state APC; three members of ACF (Prince Oba Ude, Comrade Christopher Olorunfemi and Chief (Mrs) Ojuolape) and; two members of ADG (Prof. Sola Ehindero and Prof. (Mrs) Olusi.

The committee met under my leadership seven times and was about rounding-up when Chief Ayegbusi’s group surprisingly and embarrassingly came out with the news of the endorsement of Dr. Segun Abraham. To worsen the already bad situation, Prof Boroffice infiltrated my committee through the committee Secretary and Prof. Ehindero. The duo mounted undue pressure on me.

In view of the unnecessary pressure and haven seen that some members has compromised themselves I therefore, called a meeting of the aspirants for Sunday 31st July, 2016 in my residence. All the aspirants attended the meeting with the exception of Prof. Boroffice and Dr. Segun Abraham who sent their apologies for absence.

Myself and other members of the committee in attendance addressed the seven (7) aspirants present and admonished them to go and discuss among themselves and present to us a single worthy candidate who would fly the flag of Akoko. That is the process so far as the committee is concerned. The outcome of the aspirants meeting is what we intend to present to the larger assembly.

MY APPEAL
I wish to strongly appeal to all Akoko leaders and Elders to eschew bitterness and divisive tendencies as such can only lead to further backwardness for Akokoland. We must at this critical time, pick a responsible and sellable aspirant who will be able to impact positively on the entire state. Inordinate propaganda and underhand actions are inimical to progress.

Thank you,

Signed,
Alhaji Ali Olanisu
BOT Member, APC
4th August, 2016

MEMBERS OF AKOKO SPECIAL COMMITTEE
Alhaji Ali Olanusi – Chairman
Chief F. I, Ayegbusi – Chairman, APC Elders Assembly
Alhaji Tolorunju – Akoko North East
Chairman APC – Akoko North East
Chief R. A. Ajayi – Akoko North West
Chairman APC – Akoko Nortrh West
Mr. R. O. Ogedengbe – Akoko South East
Hon. S. A. Pelemo – Akoko South East
Chief G. A. Garuba – Akoko South West
Pa. L. I. A. Rogbitan – Akoko South West
Prince Oba Ude – President, ACF
Comrade Christopher Olorunfemi – Member, ACF
Chief (Mrs) Ojuolape – Member, ACF
Prof. Sola Ehindero – ADG
Prof. (Mrs) Olusi – ADG”