Ahead of the presidential primary election of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the umbrella body of all groups rooting for the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, under the platform of The Progressive Project (TPP) has denied a viral video indicating that their principal was planning to step down for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In the viral video released Sunday by one Daniel Bwala, an aide to the Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege, claimed that the Vice President was planning to concede to Asiwaju.
But reacting to the development through a statement made available to Blueprint and signed the Director of Operations of TPP, Alhaji Usman Aliyu Usman, described the claimed as false and “a a gutter fight which Osinbajo supporters can not join.”
The statement warned “paid agents” to stop the spread of falsehoods against Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo.
“One of our visible supporters, Professor Olusola Adeyeye, a two-term Senator who represented Osun Central Senatorial District between 2011 to 2019 made some weighty statements about the APC presidential primaries on Saturday and by Sunday, really baseless and mischievous anti-Osinbajo statements began circulating.
“Unfortunately, one of these came from Mr. Daniel Bwala, an aide to Deputy Senate President, Senator Omo-Agege who currently appears to moonlight as spokesman for the Bola Tinubu campaign.
“Specifically, without any proof, Mr. Bwala started circulating a video clip with claims that Professor Yemi Osinbajo is ‘allegedly planning to step down for Asiwaju’; Mr. Bwala had no evidence and he ought to know better than going to town with such.”
“Without doubt, Professor Yemi Osinbajo is still riding high in the race and our decision not to interfere in some camps’ deliberate spread of illusion and untruths is only motivated by our genuine confidence in our candidate’s prospects.
“As stated long ago, no group linked to TPP will join any individual or group in playing gutter politics or smearing others but we need to unequivocally state that Professor Yemi Osinbajo is not contemplating any measure of capitulation to any candidate.
“While we are sworn to total allegiance to the Constitution, patriotic values and the spirit of good sportsmanship, we denounce the misleading information and unbecoming tricks that some supporters in other presidential candidates’ camps embrace so eagerly.
“We denounce too, the baseless ad unhelpful information being randomly disseminated by the likes of Mr. Bwala.
“In the interest of the natuon and its democracy, TPP appeals to all aspirants and supporters at all levels to learn from the focused and principled campaign methods of Professor Osinbajo and his supporters whose collective determination towards actualizing Nigeria’s enduring greatness is a cause that genuinely deserves the support of all patriots.
“We categorically debunk the spate of falsehoods against PYO’s candidature and we urge all Nigerian patriots to look forward to join us in the forthcoming celebrations on the day after APC presidential primaries,’ the TPP official stated.
