Controversy swirled around the Oyo State’s government yesterday when news filtered around the media that the governor’s wife had been arrested in London. The Government while denying the allegation promply slammed a N1billion suit against the evening newspaper. The Governor’s wife yesterday evening spoke from London denying that she had been arrested.
No mention was made, however, of when the suit was filed and who their lawyer is. Special Adviser on Media to Governor, Dr. Festus Adedayo.disclosed the filing of the suit yesterday
According to the release, the government of Oyo State had the responsibility to ensure that the media does not become an instrument in the hands of blackmailers for such acts. “We want to state unequivocally that this report is not only wicked, it is the figment of the imagination of the writers. Mrs. Ajimobi was never arrested for any offence whatsoever.
“Even though our investigations have shown that this is the work of some arrowheads of the opposition, it was done in such an amateurish way that beats the imagination of any responsible reader,” the release said. The government said that though it had a lot of respect for the media, there was the need to drag the runners of these media to court to explain the details of their reports to the rest of the world.
Meanwhile the governor’s wife reportedly spoke from London, saying the report was concocted by political opponents of her husband. Mrs Ajimobi, said; “I don’t know what they are talking about; I don’t know where they got the information from. I left Nigeria on Sunday and I was not arrested. I don’t know where they got that information from.
“No, I was not arrested by police. I came back with my daughter on Sunday. Now I am getting ready to come back home. I had not been invited by the police and I don’t know what all this is about.”
Explaining further, She said, “I have a 14-year-old daughter who has been there for seven years. She has been here since 2007. She came to Nigeria for two weeks; we left Nigeria Sunday morning. That is my mission here”. Asked if she knew about the story, she answered in affirmative.
“I read the report here in England. I was shocked. I read it but there is no iota of truth in everything they wrote. I’m sure it is opposition and I am surprised that some people can descend so low to write falsehood.” According to her, the writer of the story pandered to the dictates of some people and allowed himself to be used.
She also denied the allegation that her current trip was the 52nd time she traveled since her husband assumed office as the governor of the state. She responded, saying, “It then means I am not living in Nigeria then. Maybe, when I travel back, I will show you my passport to count how many times I have traveled,” she said .
“I have an underage daughter that has been schooling in London since 2007. If you look at my passport since 2007 and compare the way I traveled then with the way I travel now, you will discover that I travel less now”, she explained.
“My daughter is complaining that I am not regular there. I make her come to Nigeria more because I can’t afford to spend 10 days or more over there.”
Read the arrest and money laudering story here.
Read the arrest and money laudering story here.
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