Date: 2014-10-09

A retired University lecturer and first Professor of Geology in Africa, Mosobalaje Oyawoye yesterday described a newspaper publication credited to him as worthless and misleading.

The don in a statement signed by his Personal Assistant, Alhaji Abdullateef Ajeigbe, noted that "The attention of our father has been drawn to reports in some newspapers on Tuesday and Wednesday October 7 and 8, 2014 which suggest that 'the Offa Community Has Taken Decision to Vote for PDP in the coming 2015 elections' and credited to our father, Professor Jamiu Oyawoye."

The statement added that, "The report alleged that the 87 year-old Professor of Geology, Baba Jamiu Oyawoye told the Minister of National Planning and Deputy Chairman, National Planning Commission, Dr Abubakar Suleiman, who paid him a visit that Offa people had taken a decision to align with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the 2015 General Elections.

"Information at our disposal indicates that the jaundiced report as carried by Thisday Newspaper and The Newswatch was couched to misinform the public as it falsified what transpired at the courtesy visit by the Hon. Minister to the revered Prof, possibly to score political gains."

According to Oyawoye's Spokesperson, "The reports indicate either that the reporters were not at the visit or deliberately misrepresented or falsified what transpired during the courtesy visit for reasons best known to them. The reporters obviously attributed to the Professor what he never said.

"For the avoidance of doubt, our father is an elder and respected statesman ?who is fully aware that the Ajase-Ipo /Offa road at the centre of the reports is a federal road and therefore could not have blamed the state government for not rehabilitating it.

"Suffice to also point out that the claim that Baba described the Minister, Abubakar Suleiman, 'a trusted person' is utterly ludicrous. Trust, is essentially as a result of shared antecedents that engender firm belief in another person's reliability. Pray, what relationship does Baba share with Minister Abubakar Suleiman for the trusted person saga?"

He further maintained that, "It should also be noted that Prof. Oyawoye who has retired from active politics was embarrassed that what he told the minister, which is what he has been telling others, was deliberately and mischievously twisted.

"Prof Oyawoye represents the value and tradition of the good people of Offa and the father of all and sundry irrespective of political affiliation and sentiment and should therefore not be drag in to partisanship."