Date: 2019-03-10

Abdulraheem Olawuyi, a member of the House of Representatives from Kwara, has advised supporters of All Progressives Congress (APC) to ignore a statement being circulated that Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq, the APC governorship candidate, had withdrawn from the race.

Mr Olawuyi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ilorin on Saturday that the purported withdrawal of the APC candidate was the handiwork of the opposition.

NAN reports that the APC candidate was earlier enmeshed in certificate scandal as he was said to have forged his West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) result.

According to the statement being circulated, Mr Abdulrasaq is said to have stepped down due to the case of his WAEC scandal that is in court.

"We regret to announce that our candidate Abdulrahaman Abdulraq stepped down due to WAEC scandal in court; we direct our supporters to go for Accord Party. O to ge," the statement read.

Mr Olawuyi said that the message was borne out of frustration and panic that the APC would emerge victorious in the governorship and state house of assembly elections.

He called on APC supporters not to be distracted by the news of the withdrawal, saying that such distractions were normal in a democratic contest.

Mr Olawuyi called on the people of Kwara to discountenance the message and go out en-masse to vote for the APC. (NAN)