·Says effort meant to tarnish gov's reputation
Ondo State government has denied that Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa was involved in domestic violence with his spouse.
It described a viral video, said to be that of the governor engaging in a domestic scuffle with his spouse, as blackmail. A statement by the SSA to the Governor on Strategic Communication, Allen Sowore, in Akure, fingered opposition parties as "responsible for the circulation of a female abuser's video to tarnish the governor's reputation.
The statement reads " As preparations for the November 16th, 2024 Ondo State Governorship Election intensify, it is becoming evident that the incumbent Governor, His Excellency Lucky Aiyedatiwa, is gaining the upper hand.
" In response, opposition parties, particularly the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), seem willing to resort to any means, including blackmail, fake news, and falsehoods, to tarnish the Governor's image.
"The latest tactic involves the circulation of a video showing an average-age man engaged in a domestic scuffle with his spouse".
Sowore added: " The malicious intent behind sharing this scandalous clip is to damage the reputation of Governor Aiyedatiwa, who is also the APC candidate.
"For the benefit of the unsuspecting public who may be swayed by the video at first glance, it is crucial to clarify that the man in the video is not the Governor of Ondo State. A closer examination of the video reveals several striking differences.
"Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa no longer wears that type of beard, unlike the individual in the clip. The governor changed his appearance over a year ago.
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"The man in the video has a noticeable gap between his upper and lower teeth (diastema). Governor Aiyedatiwa does not have this feature.
"The man in the video speaks loudly, and his voice is distinctly different from Governor Aiyedatiwa's vocal tone.
"More importantly, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has never worked in the United Kingdom at any point in his life, as implied in the conversation from the video. "Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has an oval face while the individual in the video has a round face.
"The public is encouraged to carefully examine the video and notice these clear distinctions before arriving at the erroneous conclusion that the man in the video is Governor Aiyedatiwa.
" Those responsible for circulating this misleading video and falsely attributing it to Governor Aiyedatiwa should conduct proper fact-checks and desist from such cheap blackmail.
"The members of the PDP, who have been circulating this video surreptitiously to paint the Governor in a bad light, should cease their efforts and focus instead on addressing their party's own issues."
