By Mumini AbdulKareem
Former Kwara Central senatorial aspirant in the 2019 general election, Comrade Musbaudeen Esinrogunjo has opened up on his invitation by the State Directorate of the Secret Service (DSS) over his alleged threat on Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq.
The issue had gone viral in the state and dominated discourse after a leaked audio surfaced on social media where a voice purported to be his (Esinrogunjo) was heard hauling invectives and death threat on the Governor for allegedly abandoning him after his victory at the gubernatorial election.
He, has, however since denied the audio with claims that it was doctored by his detractors within the Kwara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) because of his announcement to run for the chairmanship of Ilorin West Local Government in the forthcoming council poll.
Speaking with National Pilot on the issue in a telephone chat, the former President of the National Association of the Kwara State Students (NAKSS), warned leaders and elders behind the crisis in the party to allow peace to reign and settle their differences within the framework of available guidelines, adding that it is important that the party can be shown what it has done since assumption of office to continue to win the people’s votes for subsequent election.
He said: When I was invited by the DSS, I told them that I know nothing about it and that whoever is behind it should be judged by God. I explained that all these were political. I was a guest in their office for about a week and later, I was told that I will be invited again whenever I am needed.
“I told them that it was when my poster for Ilorin West chairmanship aspiration came out, the next day we heard the audio and the third day, they went and pay one of my former Personal Assistants money to blackmail me. Those who watched the video of the former aide will see that he was being teleguided to say what he said from a script that had been written for him.
“I told the DSS that I am a law abiding citizen and was never a violent person all through my student union chairmanship days in 2006 to 2009 serving in different NAKSS portfolios. I never recorded any social vice since then, so why now and I was not even alleged of threatening to kill an ordinary citizen but a whole governor of the state.
“During the time I spent with them (DSS) following the invitation, I was not rough handled or manhandled because the DSS are intelligent officers and I believe they are able to see beyond this. This is sponsored blackmail going by the sequence of events. Why didn’t the aide come out before now to say this.
“They alleged that the Governor gave me N3m which I used to purchase car. My jeep is worth N7.5m and my Honda is over N1m, unlike the five cars they said I have. The Governor has the right to give me money as a member of the party who contributed to the success of his and the party. But altogether, all these don’t move me because I know this is politics.
“I am sure the DSS will fish out those behind the doctored audio as intelligence officers and even the former aide that also made the allegation in the video will also be invited to come and explain certain things. But I am not fighting anybody because I don’t think this is the time to fight unlike when the election was really hot then. But all that is over and this is time for governance. ”
On whether the issue has not affected his relationship with the Governor, Esinrogunjo said he has no issue with him despite what the detractors might be aiming or planning, adding that all those behind the issue will be adequately compensated by Almighty God.
“All these are just mere blackmail because of my ambition of Ilorin West council chairmanship. How can I say I want to kill the governor of the state, what do I have? I have never been violent or kill anybody in my life.
“Why I am happy is that majority of the masses are condemning the action. As for my aspiration for the post of chairmanship, I think it depends on the people and what their demands are. If I say no and they want me to, then the strength of the politician is about the people. So let’s put that in the hands of Almighty God but I know destiny can only be delayed but never be changed.
“For my detractors in the APC, my word is that God should forgive them as they don’t know what they are doing, if anybody is trying to blackmail or pull down somebody else’s son and they have children, nemesis will catch up with their children if they escape the punishment whether elders or leaders. They should desist or the wrath of God will fall on them soon. Some of the elders in the party called me telling me that they know I am not a cultist but lied against me that I am one, imagine that. I leave all of them to God who knows the inside out of all what happened”, he added.
On the APC crisis, my take is that there is difference between someone that worked for the party and wanting reward or compensation from the party and others. There is a huge difference between party politics and governance. Our prayer is for the governor to continue to implement and fulfil the promises made to the masses and for God to touch the heart of the Governor to bring dividends of democracy to the people.
“There is no how there won’t be internal crisis because of the different interests and groups we represent. But just like in a family, we must demonstrate the ability to settle it. Before now, we had the Fagbemi and Oyedepo crisis before the local government election but it still went ahead. Even the opposition that are not in government, they are still having internal crisis but continue to settle it.
“My message is an appeal to all our people to remain calm and steadfast. I will continue to support our Governor in prayer to deliver good governance to our people so that when we come back for 2003, we should have what to tell them as we must have that to convince the people to vote for us again and youth should not lose hope but believe that Kwara can still be greater”, he added.
