Governor Ademola Adeleke has addressed the rumor that he met privately with Oyo State's Seyi Makinde.
Last Friday, Adeleke accompanied a group from Osun State to pay Makinde a visit to the Oyo State Government House lodge in Abuja, but the PDP supporter has since denied reports that they met behind closed doors.
Adeleke also denied rumors that he knelt down and begged Makinde, a G5 member who opposed the PDP's bid for the presidency.
After News Reporters claimed that the Osun governor visited his counterpart in Oyo State because he was interested in who would be the next National Vice Chairman (South-West) of the PDP, Adeleke clarified the visit to Makinde.
According to the news outlet, Adeleke went to Makinde to ask for his support and endorsement for Hon. Soji Adagunodo, the late party's National Vice Chairman (South-West), who is being replaced by Adeleke's candidate.
After a brief illness in the United States of America, Adagunodo, who had previously served as the PDP chairman in Osun State, passed away in May 2023.
News Reporters also claimed that Adeleke begged Makinde to overlook any wrongdoing on his part.
In response, Adeleke labeled the story by Sahara Reporters as fake news on Monday.
The Osun governor merely went to Makinde to observe the recently renovated Oyo State Government House because the Osun state government is starting a similar renovation of the Osun Government House, which is located in Asokoro, according to a statement from Adelele's office that Mallam Olawale Rasheed forwarded to PM News.
However, Adeleke noted that he never begged Makinde during the meeting which happened in the presence of many PDP loyalists.
The statement from Adeleke’s office reads in full: “Our attention has been drawn to a planted fake news about a purported private meeting between Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State and Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state.
“The concorted lies in the said story have no basis in truth as at no point did Governor Adeleke had any private talk with his Oyo state counterpart.
“Governor Adeleke had visited the Oyo state Governor’s lodge to see the newly renovated Oyo State Government House as Osun state government is embarking on similar renovation of Osun Government House located within Asokoro.
"It was also an opportunity for both leaders to review state of relationship and chart a path to strengthen the Peoples Democractic Party within the South West zone including the issue of filling the vacancy existing within the party zonal leadership.
“The interactions were in the open and at no point did the question of begging and prostration arose as there was nothing to plead and beg about. The venue was in the living room with photo opportunity. In the presence of everybody, the two leaders resolved to unite for the party in the zone, hence the need to call an emergency zonal meeting to hold later this week.
“All insinuations about infighting either among Osun Government functionaries or otherwise are the handiwork of those profiting from the lack of substantive leadership for the party in the zone. There is no infighting within Governor Adeleke’s cabinet over the planned meeting nor any disagreement as to when and how to hold the zonal meeting.
“The two Governors will surely feel embarrassed by the fake news as it was targeted at truncating genuine efforts to relaunch the party with a new leadership after recent happenings.
“We therefore urge members of the PDP across the South West to ignore the fake news and focus on making a success of the forthcoming zonal meeting in the best interest of the party.â€