My attention has been drawn to lies and evil spins making the rounds that, while speaking on the Rave FM Yoruba Political Personality Interview, Oro Oselu, on Monday, 26th June, 2023, I mentioned the former Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Najeem Folasayo Salaam, as a beneficiary of a financial transaction.
While I understand the frustration and anger of political jobbers, particularly those persons loyal to the past administration that Osun people sent packing, I know that they will clutch at straws to rejuvenate their dead political careers.
The question posed to me on Oro Oselu, was whether I got money from the Adeleke dynasty before and during the elections. The interviewer added that some persons had pushed the narrative that although I took some money from the Adeleke dynasty for the purpose of Election, I had been telling people that I did not. This according to the rumour making the rounds, according to the interviewer, was part of the reasons certain persons attempted to ostracize me from government and the dynasty.
It was greatly important to clarify that I had never taken any personal money from the Adelekes, but had committed a lot of personal resources for some service providers. However, as I made to clarify the four million Naira that I got before the elections for an errand that I ran for one of the campaign committees, I attempted to make an illustration with the name of a certain Najimudeen Salam, who is an indigene of Osogbo.
It was at that moment that the interviewer gestured to me to wrap my answer up as time was up and the interview needed to close. There was no time for me to clarify that the Najimudeen Salam I mentioned is not the former Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Najeem Folasayo Salaam. It was a case of same name, different persons.
The truth is, I did several assignments during the campaign period, part of which was mobilization of a group of eligible voters (under the leadership of a certain Najimudeen Salam), in Osogbo, who had shown interest in working with the Adelekes. The only money I ever took from the dynasty was the gift to members of a project which was meant for their empowerment.
The general public is advised to ignore the jobless spin doctors who are trying to deliberately misconstrue my statement to settle political scores with my leader and friend, Rt. Hon. Najeem Salaam. For record purpose, I restate that the former Speaker is not the one I was referring to in my statement. There was no financial transaction between the two of us before, during and after the July 16, 2022 governorship election.
I also use this medium to apologize to Rt. Hon. Najeem Salaam for any embarrassment that the disinformation by the unscrupulous elements might have caused him. I hold him in high esteem and I cannot in anyway demean him directly or indirectly.
I must also state that I remain committed to the success of the administration of Sen. Ademola Adeleke and the actualization of a second term.
Signed:
Engr. Kehinde Raji (Aaraj)
