RIGHT OF REPLY: Law Mefor's Treachery to Truth

A liar begins with making falsehood appear like truth, and ends with making truth itself appear like falsehood

-William Shenstone

Few hours ago, Mr. Law Mefor penned an opinion piece on the decision of the former Governor of Ogun State and erstwhile Director General of the Atiku Presidential Campaign Organization, Otunba Gbenga Daniel (OGD) to quit politics and in the process erroneously equate that decision to joining the All Progressive Congress, alongside other unchecked assertions that ended up eroding the safe delivery of whatever message that piece could have contained.

As a self acclaimed teacher nay lecturer, Mr. Law Mefor could have perhaps spent a few minutes on something called "Google" before blatantly embarking on a voyage of falsehood.

His first error was the insinuation that OGD was unhappy with the appointment of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki as the Director General of the PDP campaign organization. For reason of information, OGD gracefully supported the appointment of Dr. Saraki and was part of the several meetings that were held before the entire Campaign Council was formed. He maintains over a decade relationship with Dr. Bukola Saraki and the entire Saraki family in general. There was no reason whatsoever to have resentment over a position that was freely given out by him.

Another outright fabrication was the insinuation that Otunba Gbenga Daniel was against the emergence of Dr. Peter Obi (PO) as the Vice Presidential candidate when obvious facts show that OGD was the one who independently issued the statement announcing the candidacy of PO even when other members of the campaign organization were foot dragging; this he won over more enemies for.

For the avoidance of doubt and as a correctional statement, Otunba Gbenga Daniel delivered his polling units, ward, constituency and district to Alhaji Atiku Abuabakar. A bit of online research could have guided Mr. Law Mefor from making such error.

While one would have expected Mr. Law Mefor to stick more to analysis and informed dissection of the outcome of the election, his decision to embark on emotion laden rhetorics and wild conjunction is a betrayal of the intellectual community which Mr. Law Mefor parades to belong to.

After the presidential primary and the appointment of Dr. Bukola Saraki, Otunba Gbenga Daniel's work was done and all decisions, strategy and plan for the election was done solely by the Campaign Council in required isolation. How then does one divulge an information one is not privy to?

At moments like this, emotion runs deep and many, including Otunba Gbenga Daniel who first believed in the Atiku Project before most Nigerians did and made great sacrifice to ensuing it comes to reality will feel a sense of sharp pain and disappointment. Perhaps, this is one of the reasons why he has lost interest in partisan politics and decide to hang his boot.

To create an impression of betrayal to a cause for a man who went round the country and did all within his power to land Atiku the presidential ticket yet still ensured that the Southwest vote counts greatly in spite of the region's party challenges is in itself a betrayal of the cause the campaign stood for.

Otunba Gbenga Daniel has sacrificed greatly for the Peoples Democratic Party for the past 20 years and like every human, he is tired of the entire stress of partisan politics and even made commitment to support the ongoing legal battle in anyway required while still remaining dutifully loyal to Atiku Abubakar. Should we then deny him the right to private life?

I hope Mr. Law Mefor attend the next Contrition in Church. He has sinned before man and God. Otunba Gbenga Daniel has forgiven him, I am sure God will do the same should he ask truthfully. But will his conscience forgive him? That's a burden he may have to carry for the rest of his life.

<em> Ayo Giwa is the media aide to Otunba Gbenga Daniel.</em>