By Banji Ayoola
A former presidential candidate and an ex-Secretary to the Federal Government, Chief Olu Falae, has debunked a report which has gone viral that he is supporting the candidate of Labour Party, LP, Mr Peter Obi, for the February 25, 2023 Presidential Election.
In a statement in Akure on Tuesday by his Personal Assistant, Captain Moshood Raji, retired, Falae said that though he admitted he said that the South East had not had the opportunity of producing Nigeria’s President, he has “never canvassed or claimed to be supporting Mr Peter Obi of the Labour Party for the 2023 race.”
According to him: “it should be realised that two of the candidates put forward by the political parties in the county are from the South West, how can this national leader go against candidates that hail from his part of the country.
“This correction is necessary in order not to mislead the public that Chief Falae is supporting any of the candidates yet.
“It is necessary to await the programmes and manifestos of the political parties and their candidates before arriving at a particular candidate to support.”
Following is the full statement, titled “Falae’s position on presidential poll:”
“The attention of Chief Olu Falae CFR, GCON has just been drawn to a publication that has gone viral in which the former Secretary to the Federal Government is quoted as saying that he is supporting the candidature of Mr Peter Obi as his preferred choice in the 2023 Presidential race.
“Although, Chief Falae admitted that he said that it was true that the South East had not had the opportunity of being Nigeria’s President, he never canvassed or claimed to be supporting Mr Peter Obi of the Labour Party for the 2023 race.
“Under a situation where the race is hotting up among candidates from the Western part, the Northern part of the country and the Eastern part of the country, it should be realised that two of the candidates put forward by the political parties in the county are from the South West. How can this national leader go against candidates that hail from his part of the country.
This correction is necessary in order not to mislead the public that Chief Falae is supporting any of the candidates yet.
“It is necessary to await the programmes and manifestos of the political parties and their candidates before arriving at a particular candidate to support.”
