By; Odeyemi Samuel, Akure.
A governorship candidate of the factional Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State, Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim, on Saturday confirmed that nothing would make him take money from the state governor, Mr. Segun Mimiko to release his ticket to another candidate of the party, Mr. Eyitayo Jegede.
Ibrahim who said this through the Spokesperson of the PDP, Mr. Akinyemi Akintomide in a statement, said that he would not succumb to pressures from Governor Mimiko to jettison his governorship ambition even though there were moves to induce him financially.
The business mogul pressed further that he would never and could never fall for such unholy alliance or agreement with Mimiko and his cohort.
He said: “It was Mimiko going about with huge amount of tax payers money to bribe top INEC officials and some others in order to get Jegede’s name on the candidate list.
“But as God would have, the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Friday 14 October, 2016 ordered INEC to replace Jegede’s name with mine as the authentic candidate of PDP.
“That was how the huge money expended by Mimiko to get Jegede listed went down the drain. How could they have turned around to offer same man money to quit the case?
“Its part of their game plan to bribe their way into the election, but with me, Jimoh Ibrahim, they have hit a rocky wall”
Reacting to rumours that he is presently complaining that he is in need of N200 million to offset some debts, Jimoh Ibrahim said that he was sure that no reasonable man would need his confirmation to know that such situation can never be possible.
His words: “How much is N200 million to a person who control a conglomerate of businesses in oil and gas, hotel and hospitality, publishing, banking and financing, insurance and housing. Just name it.
“That’s a cheap lie to tell against somebody like me. Over 700 delegates of PDP gave me the mandate to fly the flag of the party in the forthcoming gubernatorial poll.
“How can I get this far and now want to drop the ticket for Mimiko’s candidate? I would not take them to court to challenge the illegality in Jegede’s candidature if I wasn’t serious with my governorship ambition.
“Don’t forget that I have been aspiring to be governor of Ondo state since 2002 so I cannot be termed an unserious politician.
“And with that mandate, I am pursuing the court case with all vigour and by God grace, the people of Ondo state will consolidate the mandate on November 26 by voting for me as their governor for the next four years”.
