By Emmanuel Oluwakorede
Former Caretaker Chairman of Ogori/Magongo Local Government Area, retired Major Olafimihan Akerejola has denied reports linking him to an alleged petition accusing Major General Erema Akerejola of looting Nigerian Army Budget to run his Private firm and to purchase millions of dollar property in the United States.
Major Akerejola told Newsmen in Lokoja that the petition did not emanate from him emphasising that the publication maligns the Nigerian Army and his reputation.
He described the allegations that he wrote the petition as false, unfounded and misleading, saying he never authored a petition to to anti-graft agencies accusing Major General Erema Akerejola of corruption, financial impropriety and misconduct.
Major Akerejola disassociated himself from the contents of the publication, urging the Nigerian Army, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the public to disregard the falsehood.
While enjoining the Media to cross check facts before publishing, the retired Major advised the Publisher, People’s Gazette to retract the publication, adding that he will not allow anyone or group to ruin his reputation.
Below is the full text of the Press Conference:
“The crux of this press conference is to respond to a recently published misleading, damaging and malicious publication by People’s Gazette titled “EXCLUSIVE: Nigerian Army General Akerejola’s family accuses him of looting soldiers’ budget to run private firms, buy million-dollar U.S. property” – a publication allegedly linked to me.
“This press conference becomes necessary because the said publication dangerously maligned my primary constituency – the Nigerian Military and it is an embarrassment to my person. I have received countless calls from within and outside Nigeria as a result of the publication.
Those who know me, know that by my professional training, I am not the type that fights battles like a coward. Whatever I do, I own up to it. For the avoidance of doubt, I will say that the petition which I know nothing about, has really cast me in very bad light.
The said publication falsely claims that I, Major Olafimihan Akerejola (Rtd), authored a petition to anti-graft agencies accusing Major General Erema Akerejola of corruption, financial impropriety and misconduct.
For the avoidance of doubt, I am here saying it categorically that I had no hand whatsoever in the writing or submission of any such petition. The claims linking me to said petition are completely false, unfounded, and misleading.
The most unfortunate part of it all, was that People’s Gazette threw to the dogs the basic demand of their professional calling to reach out to me before rushing to press; a clear indication that the whole thing was a hatchet job.”
