TRUTH OVER PROPAGANDA: SENATOR KARIMI’S SMEAR CAMPAIGN AND PITY GAME CANNOT REWRITE FACTS, PERFORMANCE, CREDIBILITY, OR PUBLIC TRUST,
… ‘I Did Not Send Anyone to Write Anything’ -Senator Karimi
The recent article authored by Ponle Adeniyi and widely believed to have been sponsored by Senator Sunday Karimi is nothing more than a desperate attempt to divert public attention from the growing controversy surrounding the Kogi West Senatorial District APC primary election.
We are not surprised by the blame game and smear pointers from the mannequin Senator’s camp directed towards the person of Hon. Leke Abejide, linking the Governor of Kogi state Alhaji Usman Ododo, and the Chief of Staff to the President.
Apparently, they have been looking for who to blame in their usual way, rather than address the fundamental concerns raised by party members and stakeholders regarding the conduct of the primary, Senator Karimi and his supporters have chosen the familiar path of political scapegoating by targeting Hon. Leke Abejide, a man whose reputation, achievements, and political goodwill were firmly established long before his recent return to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
- Advertisement -
The attempt to portray Hon. Abejide as the architect of the current crisis in Kogi West is not only misleading but also intellectually dishonest. For the avoidance of doubt, Hon. Leke Abejide is neither a member of the APC National Working Committee nor a member of the party’s National Executive Committee. He is not an electoral officer, returning officer, collation officer, or party administrator. He possesses no constitutional authority within the APC structure to alter, manipulate, or determine the outcome of any senatorial primary election.
It therefore defies logic and political common sense to suggest that an individual without any official role in the conduct of the primary election could somehow be responsible for the controversies surrounding the process. If there are questions regarding the conduct of the Kogi West Senatorial primary, those questions should be directed at the party officials who conducted the exercise, not at a House of Representatives candidate who was not a participant in the senatorial contest.
Although we know there will always be people within a political party who feel that an individual like Abejide should not be receiving the type of recognition and acceptance he has received so far. Therefore the attacks from the camp of Senator Karimi are expected, their attacks do not need to have rhymes or reason but how do you blame the crisis around the APC Kogi West Senatorial primary election on others?
The truth is simple: Hon. Leke Abejide has absolutely nothing to gain from interfering in a senatorial election in which he was not a contestant. Long before joining the APC, Hon. Abejide had built a strong relationship with the people of Kogi State, particularly within Okunland. His political relevance was never dependent on any political party structure. His popularity grew from years of visible representation, community development projects, educational support initiatives, youth empowerment programmes, infrastructural interventions, and consistent accessibility to his constituents.
Unlike many politicians who become known only during election periods, Hon. Abejide earned public recognition through tangible contributions that directly impacted the lives of ordinary people. His political strength is therefore a product of performance, not propaganda.
The claim that Hon. Abejide suddenly became influential because of his recent APC membership ignores political reality. The fact remains that he entered the APC with an already established political base, substantial goodwill among party leaders, and widespread acceptance among the people.
His cordial relationship with Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo did not begin after the primary election. It is built on mutual respect, shared developmental aspirations, and recognition of each other’s contributions to the progress of Kogi State.
Likewise, Hon.Abejide’s relationship with the Chief of Staff to the President is not the result of secret political conspiracies as falsely suggested by the article. Public servants, elected officials, and political leaders across Nigeria maintain relationships and networks built over years of service and engagement. Such relationships are neither criminal nor evidence of wrongdoing. Attempting to criminalize legitimate political relationships simply because they do not serve Senator Karimi’s interests is both unfair and irresponsible.
More importantly, Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo is a competent leader fully capable of making independent decisions. The suggestion that he can be manipulated by any individual, including Hon. Abejide, is disrespectful to the office he occupies and an insult to his capacity as Governor of Kogi State.
Those seeking to damage the relationship between Governor Ododo and Hon. Abejide are pursuing a futile mission. Their relationship is founded on mutual respect and a common commitment to the development of Kogi State. No amount of sponsored media attacks can alter that reality.
The allegation that Hon. Abejide harbours a hidden agenda to destabilize the APC in pursuit of a future governorship ambition is another baseless fabrication unsupported by any evidence.
Political ambition is not a crime in a democracy. However, attributing imaginary future plots to an individual without proof only exposes the weakness of those advancing such narratives.
The real issue before the APC and the people of Kogi West is whether the senatorial primary election reflected the genuine wishes of party members. That question deserves transparent answers. Unfortunately, rather than encourage openness and accountability, Senator Karimi’s camp appears more interested in intimidating dissenting voices and manufacturing enemies.
It is instructive that concerns regarding the primary process did not originate from Hon. Abejide. Party members, stakeholders, and observers across Kogi West had already expressed reservations long before attempts were made to drag his name into the controversy.
The growing debate is therefore not about Leke Abejide. It is about transparency, credibility, and confidence in the democratic process.
The repeated effort to associate every disagreement within the party with Hon. Abejide reveals a deeper fear among his political opponents. They understand his growing acceptance among the people and recognize that his influence is rooted in performance and public trust. Instead of engaging in character assassination, those behind these attacks should focus on strengthening party unity and addressing legitimate concerns raised by stakeholders.
Hon. Leke Abejide remains committed to the progress of Yagba Federal Constituency, the development of Okunland, and the continued success of the APC in Kogi State.
No amount of sponsored propaganda can erase years of service, visible achievements, and the goodwill he enjoys among the people.
The people know the difference between genuine leadership and politically motivated falsehoods.
As the dust settles, one fact remains undeniable: Hon. Leke Abejide did not create the controversy surrounding the Kogi West Senatorial primary, cannot be held responsible for its outcome, and should not be used as a convenient scapegoat for problems he neither caused nor controlled.
The truth remains stronger than propaganda, and history will ultimately separate facts from fiction.
In his reaction, Senator Sunday Karimi said he did not know who Ponle Adeniyi is, and neither did he send him or anyone to write anything to discredit any personality in the ongoing controversy over the Kogi West APC brouhaha.
(DEMOCRACY NEWSLINE NEWSPAPER, JUNE 8TH 2026)
