Ondo state governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has refuted claims that his signature is being forged by some members of his cabinet.
Akeredolu, who has not been seen in public since his arrival from a medical vacation in Germany, made this known through his media aide, Richard Olatunde.
Olatunde, in a statement made available to TheReports said “I have personally spoken to the Governor, and he has asked me to emphatically refute this claim”.
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Kayode Ajulo, who hails from the state, had accused some unnamed officials of the Ondo State government of signing documents in the name of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu.
Ajulo made the claim in an interview on Arise Television on Monday.
But in a swift reaction, the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Richard Olatunde, said the “accusation of forging Mr. Governor’s signature is utterly preposterous and ludicrous”.
Olatunde told those making the accusation that it stems “solely from the figment of their imagination”.
He said “I want to assure you that no one is forging Mr. Governor’s signature. The circulated content on social media, which some people are relying on as evidence, is laughable.
“If they genuinely believe there is a disparity, they should present a legitimate document to support their claims. We are more than willing to thoroughly investigate the matter and prosecute anyone found culpable.
“The main issue here is that we cannot entertain baseless speculations and unfounded claims. A group of individuals somewhere has assembled two signatures, yet they cannot even determine which one belongs to the governor.
“They refuse to disclose the documents that were allegedly signed or provide any information regarding the dates. The individuals behind these fabricated signatures are the real culprits engaging in criminal activities.
“It is disheartening to see a supposed legal practitioner making such statements on national television. How did they arrive at the conclusion of forgery? Where is the document that supposedly contained the forged signature? Why are they not revealing the beneficiary of this document? By concealing such a document and engaging in unnecessary media theatrics, they are doing a great disservice to the state and the people.
“The truth of the matter is that only Governor Akeredolu can claim that his signature has been forged. I have personally spoken to the Governor, and he has asked me to emphatically refute this claim.
“The signature of Mr. Governor is not forged. Please disregard these crisis entrepreneurs. Their real gains are in crisis not peace”, the statement concluded.
