Ondo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked the All Progressives Congress (APC) to desist from telling lies since it has moved from an opposition to a ruling party.
Ondo State APC had alleged that some PDP National Working Committee, NWC, members, especially its National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, were on the payroll of the state government.
In a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Omo’ba Abayomi Adesanya, APC stated the money, running into several millions of naira monthly, was part of the agreement reached with Governor Olusegun Mimiko before his emergence as chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum.
Reacting yesterday at a press conference in Akure, the Ondo State capital, Ondo PDP Publicity Secretary, Banji Okunomo, described the allegation as criminal and libelous, adding that it was intended to assail and assault the credibility of both the state government and personality of Metuh.
He vowed that actions would be taken by the personalities involved against the APC Publicity Secretary with a view to preserving their integrity.
He added: “We also wonder at the quality and competence of a publicity manager who rather than being very industrious at getting information with which to promote the profile of his party will rather depend on the rumour mill, low level gossips and beer parlour gists as his veritable source of information.
“We therefore need to let the people know that the character that runs the publicity of the APC in Ondo State is a barefaced liar whose understanding of his role as Publicity Secretary of the party is absolutely suspect.
“He needs further education to understand that his position does not confer on him an unfettered right to propagate lies, but to build its profile, promote and sustain same.
“Rather than indulge in malfeasance, the APC should be absolutely worried about the fact that it led Nigerians to believe that it will bring a radical development to the nation and all it has done so far is to fail to take off, thereby putting the nation into a reverse gear.”