Senator Teslim Kolawole Folarin, the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial candidate in Oyo State, has stated that he did not employ hired murderers to assassinate Hon. Shina Abiola Peller.
Folarin made the announcement in a statement released to reporters on Monday.
Folarin, who represents Oyo Central senatorial district, was declared the APC candidate for the state’s 2023 elections on Friday.
In the House of Representatives, Peller represents the federal constituency of Iseyin/Itesiwaju/Iwajowa/Kajola.
According to reports, Peller claimed in a video that Folarin sent hired killers to assassinate him.
Folarin, on the other hand, has stated that he did not pay assassins to kill Mr. Peller.
Folarin stated in a statement signed by him on Monday that he is not an assassin.
He went on to say that because he doesn’t run a killing squad, he couldn’t have ordered hired killers after Peller or anybody else.
Folarin went on to say that the security services should look into the incident.
He stated that he had no anointed candidate for the APC in the Oyo North senatorial district.
The APC gubernatorial candidate who spoke further stated that libel and slander are unacceptable to him.
He concluded by saying that he has authorized his legal team to pursue Peller’s defamation of character.
Folarin in the statement said, “It is highly condemnable for Hon. Shina Peller to publicly allege that I sent hired killers after him without stating a reason why I should want to do so.
“Hon. Shina Peller’s very serious allegation against my person is unacceptable and must be verified by the security agencies. It is very unfair that Shina Peller is being used to malign me in order to score cheap political points. He is engaging in a campaign of calumny just because he wants to deputise Governor Makinde in the 2023 elections”.
“While I am urging the public to disregard the false allegation, I urge the law enforcement agencies to immediately investigate the serious allegation against my person with a view to letting the world know what transpired between him and the people he claimed to have personally arrested. Nigerians deserve to know the truth!”
“I have zero tolerance for libel and slander. Therefore, I have instructed my legal team to take up the defamation of my character by Hon. Shina Peller”.