Date: 2018-02-21

A leading gubernatorial aspirant in Kwara State, Moshood Mustapha, has denied having any financial deal with leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

A statement released by his media aide, Abdulazeez Bankole, yesterday in Ilorin, said the allegation was the handwork of his political rivals who see him as a thorn in their flesh.

Bankole said the latest "bring him down" strategy was contained in an article by a faceless writer captioned "Public Notice, MM has bought over Kwara PDP", the writer went ahead to indict some PDP stalwarts as beneficiaries of Mustapha's cash gift.

This is laughable considering the personality of those mentioned by the nameless writer. Akogun Iyiola Oyedepo, who was alleged to have received N10 million from the Ilorin-born politician is known across the state as a man of impeccable character whose love for the PDP cannot be questioned.

Also, Alajagunsi has built a reputation that is beyond reproach and Prof. Oba Abdulraheem has been an exceptional leader who has sought to govern Kwara since 2011. He is still in the race for the governorship. How cheap therefore, it is to write that he has traded his legitimate ambition for $10,000.

Dr. Amuda Aluko is a community leader of repute who has been consistent in his struggle for progressive causes in the state.

Alhaji Oba Ajara and others whose names were mentioned in the article are elder statesmen within the PDP who will not destroy a party which they have suffered to build for a pot of porridge.

Besides, the former federal lawmaker has not met most of the PDP leaders being defamed in the last two years, therefore the story of buying off PDP leaders is false, derogatory and a no-brainer.

The media aide said Mustapha would rather channel his resources toward human capital development rather than purchasing a party platform. He said it is deducible that the article is a figment of the writer's imagination and it was based on falsehood and character assassination.

His political detractors should bear in mind that Mustapha is in the gubernatorial race and he is in it for good.

Therefore,no amount of maligning can stop him from embarking on his God ordained mandate of moving Kwara State to greater heights.