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The Forum of Ward Chairmen in Ifo State Constituency 1 has vehemently denied allegations of manipulation in the councillorship selection process, refuting claims that the State Commissioner for Women Affairs & Social Development, Hon. Motunrayo Adijat Adeleye, tampered with the process.
In a joint statement issued on Monday, the Chairmen described the accusations as baseless and misleading, noting that a petition filed by a faceless group calling itself “The Concerned Ifo Local Government Constituency 1 APC Party Loyalists” was the work of retrogressive-minded individuals.
They clarified that the screening and ratification process was conducted transparently by accredited Apex leaders and approved by party members, with no interference from Hon. Adeleye.
The statement reads: “The process was not a ‘selection’ but a rigorous screening exercise directed by the Apex leaders of the APC in Ifo Local Government. Hon. Adeleye, a leader in Ifo Constituency 2, has no authority over the decisions made in Constituency 1, and any claim that she unilaterally altered the list is false.”
The Chairmen further explained that the screening exercise was documented to ensure full transparency, asserting that any suggestions of manipulation were unfounded, as all nominees were chosen through a fair process approved by the majority of party leaders at both the Ward and Local Government levels.
Regarding the petition’s claims about the substitution of Hon. Gbenga Soge’s name for Ibrahim Fadahuntan in Ifo Ward 2, the ward chairmen confirmed that Soge’s nomination had been approved by seven out of nine Apex leaders. They urged the State Party Secretariat to investigate the reasons for the substitution, emphasizing that it had nothing to do with Hon. Adeleye.
The Forum emphasized that these accusations stem from political maneuvering by individuals seeking to tarnish Hon. Adeleye’s hard-earned reputation and disrupt party unity. They called on party leaders and the public to dismiss the petition as a distraction from the party’s ongoing work ahead of the elections.
According to the ward chairmen, the councillorship selection process was among the most transparent in the State and had been widely commended by party members. They reaffirmed their commitment to upholding democratic principles and urged party leadership to disregard the false claims.
The statement concluded with a call for unity within the party, as the Chairmen reassured their support for the submitted councillorship lists and urged all party members to focus on the upcoming elections rather than engage in divisive tactics.
