A group, Ikare -Akoko Renaissance Forum, says it has no doubts about the unquestionable love that Messrs Lasisi Oluboyo and Stephen Olemija have for the Ikare-Akoko.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the men were deputy governor and lawmaker respectively in Ondo State.
The group was reacting to a report that the duo was working against the interest of Ikare community with respect to the choice of candidate for the Akoko North East/Akoko North West Federal Constituency.
They described those behind the news as wicked and mischievous.
NAN reports that certain chiefs in the community had alleged that the two politicians were against the people’s choice of candidate for seat in the forthcoming general election.
In a statement by the Chairman of the group, Mr Sola Omobola on Sunday, he described the duo’s commitment and love for Ikare community as unalloyed.
“They have a deep sense of passion for the community. Politics apart, I believe they owe it a duty to ensure the town competes favorably with other towns in the state. The community produced them and they would not want the town destroyed as a result of pecuniary benefits.
“For the sake of clarity, they had a meeting at Ikare-Akoko and about six political parties were duly represented to deliberate on the candidate to adopt for the general election, especially one with a grassroots appeal in the federal constituency.
“I can tell you for free that both leaders are passionately committed to serve the interest of the community at all times,” the group said.
The group said that the chiefs who attacked Olemija, the former lawmaker for the federal constituency and the former deputy governor were nothing but a disgrace to other noble chiefs of the community.
“How can chiefs of our community with their full regalia stay at the back of a “pick up” vehicle to campaign for a candidate. The two noble personalities have done nothing wrong to warrant the snide remarks by the chiefs,” Omobola said.
The chairman urged the people to always project and work for the unity and peace of the community.
He added that if the chiefs had any personal issues with the two gentlemen, they should look for an amicable way of settling it instead of dishing out unwarranted statements against the two eminent persons of the community.
“We have no other home than this place, and we should make every effort to do what leads to peace,” the group said in the statement.( NAN)
