Some aides of former minister and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Wole Oyelese, have said that Adebisi AbdulRasheed Olopoeyan is angry with Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo State, because he was not made chairman of Park Management System, PMS.
This Newspaper report how Olopoeyan had few weeks ago berated Oyelese for what he described as speaking from both sides of the mouth.
This was after the Erunmu-born politician, had in a letter to aggrieved members of the party, advised them against being led out of the PDP by an Abuja-based politician who does not like Makinde.
Not happy with the statement, Olopoeyan had fired a salvo, explaining that Oyelese was also an aggrieved member of the PDP but always speak when he is funded by Makinde.
However, aides of Oyelese, who is one the founding members of the party in the state, would not take that.
In a statement, on behalf of others, by the duo of Pastor Sola Okunlola and Hon Taoheed Agbaje, they said Oyelese’s integrity is intact.
OLOPOENIA IS A FRUSTRATED BLACKMAILER — Elder Oyelese’s Aides
We the undersigned aides of Elder Wole Oyelese (Ph.D) are compelled by circumstances to do this rejoinder to Bisi Olopoenia’s rantings on the well-intentioned press release of our principal.
We are doing it as we know that the great leader himself will never do Bisi the honour of a personal reply. There is however the need to set the records straight so that innocent readers who do not know Olopoenia do not get sucked in.
It is obvious that going by his various stories in his rejoinder, Olopoenia has exposed himself as a thoroughly frustrated blackmailer and political jobber with no integrity.
There is no doubt that Olopoenia has been badly hit by the aspect of the press release that truly pertained to him and which painted him in his true colour hence his litany of fabrications.
The truth of the matter is that Bisi Olopoenia is actually a motor union man whose main ambition was to be made the head of the motor Union- the NURTW. The decision of Governor Seyi Mankind to proscribe the motor Union groups and setting up of the Park Management System was the master stroke that caused his current frustration.
He had expected to be named as the head of the Park Managers in preference to Mukaila Lamidi a.k.a Auxiliary. But since the Executive Governor has made his choice we believe that does not call for enmity. Olopoenia is advised to stop his unwarranted antagonism to the governor and those who support his good works.
As regards what he erroneously accused our principal of, we know that Olopoenia would not be aware of the various efforts of our principal and other true leaders of the party in Oyo state to resolve the issues on ground as he doesn’t belong to that category. We are aware that Chief Bode George had spearheaded some of the meetings at the Premier Hotel. We know about this as we usually follow our principal to the venue of such meetings and hence know the true leaders present. Even up till about a week ago, we know the number of aggrieved people Elder Oyelese visited and the others he invited and who came and with whom he parlayed all in his effort to bring about peace. So what more does Olopoenia want our principal to do?
As no two individuals can at the same time claim the benefit of a lie, we will leave Olopoenia to keep reaping whatever will be his lot from the lies he has been peddling.
Olopoenia created the impression that Elder Oyelese was behind the decisions of Sen Ayo Adeseun and His Excellency Hazeem Gbolarumi to go to court to vent their displeasure on party matters even all the way to the Supreme Court to fight the party. We find this highly ridiculous as the two individuals mentioned are adults in good standing in society and capable of taking their own decisions. We wonder if anyone of them needed him to goad them to do anything. Not once did our leader follow anyone to court and we challenge Olopoenia to prove us wrong. He should stop the ugly blackmail and begin to tow the path of honour. For the avoidance of any doubt, we state that on the day of the governorship primaries which Olopoenia cited, it is on record that even when Sen Adeseun had left the venue in anger, our principal as an experienced politician and committed party leader stayed behind and did not leave the venue until voting started and he had voted for Engineer Seyi Makinde. So what is that fellow talking about. Rather than taking to the honest pieces of advice given him he had engaged in story telling.
We find it ridiculous that Olopoenia or any other person for that matter would find it convenient to describe Elder Oyelese as having a price tag. Knowing our principal for who he is, no sane man would ever even allow the thought to cross his mind.
Most people in this country can vouch for the integrity of our leader Elder Wole Oyelese when it comes to money matters. Here is a man who served in ministerial positions in this country for over five years at a time when money still had value and was never for once invited for questioning after leaving office. Here is a man who was never implicated in any financial deal during and after leaving office. He is known to be above board in political circles when it comes to proper conduct and integrity.
And yet this is the man a common motor park tout is trying to cast aspersion on his integrity.
In the many years we have known our leader, Elder Wole Oyelese, he has never been linked with fraud or any monetary malfeasance. As a matter of fact most political jobbers like Olopoenia fear our principal as someone who will not allow them to carry out fraud when it comes to political funds. So how much is the price for a man of such impeccable quality?
We can vouch on our lives that the write up released by Elder Wole Oyelese was based purely on personal conviction that our great party should wax stronger for easy electoral success in 2023. It is for the love of the party he helped found alogside others in Oyo state that he would sacrificially do things for the party without conditions attached.
We can vouch that the release has no monetary inducement and this is something a person like Olopoenia will find difficult to believe or understand as the hungry jobber that he is. Such people will always want to cast others in their mould since they will never say the truth voluntarily, but why should Elder Oyelese ask for financial gratification before saying the truth about the Governor. That would definitely not be in his character.
Our leader did not ask the Governor not to do as he promised party members when the Senator Bukola Saraki peace committee came calling. But all he did was to ask for patience from party members and that nobody should expect the Governor to be stampeded. We find nothing wrong in that position.
As for Olopoenia’s current victims who want to become governor and who have fallen into his trap, we wish them wisdom but hastily warn anyone who cares to listen that there is “NO VACANCY” in the Agodi Government House come 2023. Pray, what kind of committed party man will be raising up individuals to vie for party ticket with an incumbent Governor. In saner climes, that action amounts to anti party activity. Besides, it shows the fellows true color when it comes to money. Incidentally, our principal does not even know the unknown quantity he mentioned and has never met him.
Finally Olopoenia should know that there is no way he can draw our leader into confrontation with other people with whom he shares mutual respect and love.
Regardless of what people like him may try to say or do, our leader remains committed to building bridges that will solidify the PDP in conjunction with our amiable governor in Oyo state and leader of the South West.
Like our leader always teaches us, you can’t beautify a building without first tearing it down. It is the lack of superior argument and the patience to marshall your position that leaves a person behaving as if there is only the way of force to make your point and get result. We sincerely hope that Olopoenia will reread our leader’s advice and make amends.
Long live the PDP.
