Mr Pelumi Olajengbesi, an aspirant for the House of Representatives seat in Oriade/Obokun Federal Constituency, Osun State under platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has challenged his rival, Wole Oke to a televised public debate.
Olajengbesi, in a statement on Saturday, said that his call for debate was necessitated by many unsavoury utterances credited to Oke and his media team.
He said that overtimefor four consecutive tenures the legislative ticket of Oriade/Obokun in the House of Representatives had been reposed in Oke by PDP, who trusted his capacity to deliver.
According to Olajengbesi, it is, however, puzzling to submit that Oke is the only one fit for said office in the whole constituency.
He said that he did not consider himself the most qualified or the only alternative in a constituency blessed with an abundance of acute minded men and women.
The legal practitioner said he believed that he was pre-eminently qualified to contest a position that should not be treated as the sole proprietorship of anyone.
Olajengbesi said that prospective public officers must be assessed on the basis of their pedigree and subjected to a fair contest for the peoples mandate by the public.
I contest on the merit of my qualifications and good plans for our people. I have utmost respect for Oke; I have respect for our party and I will always respect the decision of the leadership of the party.
It is much too simplistic for a constituency of great intellects and wisdom to make wealth the primary yardstick to measure ability or competence.
And that I can be abused by Okes media men for using vehicles donated to my campaign was not just a shame, it is more.
Yes people are donating their vehicles to us because they believe the ideas we share with them for Oriade/Obokun; that should be applauded not ridiculed. Money politics is bad politics, lets face real issues henceforth.
It is in view of this that I hereby humbly challenge Oke to a Public Debate organised by our great party in Oriade/Obokun and televised for general consumption.
He said that such public debate would help in keeping with the best standards in practice for such elections and more importantly to provide the voting delegates with an opportunity to adjudge or assess each candidate strictly on their individual merits, qualifications and grasps of issues relevant to our constituency.
Olajengbesi, who is the Executive Secretary, United Global Resolve for Peace(UGRFP), said that the much important public debate would afford listening public the opportunity to assess him and Oke on the basis of their individual strengths or inadequacies.
Source: NAN