Contrary to wrong impressions created by some media reports, the Resident Electoral Commissioner nominee from Osun State, Alhaji Muideen Olalekan Raheem, has said he did not claim to be an existing member of APC at the screening committee sitting of the Senate held on Tuesday the 5th day of November, 2019.
He explained in a chat with newsclickng.com that he admitted to having been a member of APC up till 2015 when he left partisan politics and went back to school.
He said: “I never admitted current and continuing membership of APC at the screening session by the Senate panel. I insisted and categorically maintained that I was in APC till 2015 when I left partisan politics and went back to school.
Continuing, the REC Nominee said: “It is true I attempted, mark my words, attempted, to contest the local government chairmanship of Osogbo Local Government in 2013 but the election never held.
The government of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola did not conduct the election and hence it never held. I couldn’t have been a candidate at an election that never held.”
When queried about his involvement in the governorship campaign of an aspirant on the platform of APC, Mr. Olalekan Raheem queried: “is there any law that says I can’t support a candidate of my choice? Not all supporters of a candidate are members of political parties.
I campaigned for Mr. Kunle Adegoke towards the primary election of APC as an individual and as the DG of Tiwa n Tiwa LOsun Development Association founded by the said Mr. Adegoke and who is my brother and a popular philanthropist in Osun. That I campaigned for him does not make me a member of his political party. I never attended any party meeting since I left politics around 2014 – 2015.
I never organised or participated in the event of a political party since I left. I never paid membership dues of a political party. I never received any benefit from a political party.
I supported candidates in the 2015 and 2019 general elections as individuals who mandatorily were contesting on the platform of different political parties. If a better candidate had come from another party, I would have supported and campaigned for him.
What I’m interested in is a better future for Nigeria and and not the name of a political party.”
The INEC REC Nominee, is due to return to the Senate on Friday 8th of November, 2019.
