APC CAMPAIGN TEAM CLARIFIES OYO STUDENT’S LAP-SITTING INCIDENT
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By:Tajudeen Aminat
The campaign organisation of the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in Oyo State, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, has explained the circumstances surrounding a viral video showing a student of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, sitting on his lap.
According to the campaign team, the student, alongside other students from the institution’s Department of Banking and Finance, had visited Alli at his campaign office in Mokola, Ibadan, to invite him to their programme and conduct an interview with him.
In a statement issued on Wednesday and published on its website, the campaign organisation said the students arrived when there were not enough seats to accommodate everyone. It explained that Alli subsequently asked one of the students to sit on his lap so that the interview could continue.
The clarification followed the circulation of the video on social media, which generated reactions over the interaction between the politician and the student. In the footage, Alli was also seen briefly touching the student’s lap, prompting varying interpretations among social media users.
The campaign team, however, rejected attempts to portray the interaction in a sexual manner, describing such interpretations as misleading and politically motivated.
It explained that the number of people present exceeded the available seating capacity, leaving some without chairs.
The organisation described Alli’s action as a spontaneous and fatherly gesture, insisting that there was no inappropriate intention behind it.
“It is deeply unfortunate that political desperation has descended to this level, where an ordinary interaction between a fatherly political leader and students who came to seek support for their programme is deliberately twisted into something sordid,” the campaign team said.
The team urged the public to disregard what it described as misleading narratives surrounding the video, stressing that Alli is known for maintaining a fatherly relationship with young people.
“Those who know Senator Sharafadeen Alli understand his disposition towards young people and his fatherly relationship with them. There is no basis whatsoever for the offensive insinuations being attached to this video,” it stated.
The campaign organisation also appealed to media organisations and social media users to exercise caution and responsibility in reporting the incident, warning against the use of sensationalism and innuendo to damage reputations.
It further urged the public to reject what it called “cheap political blackmail,” arguing that the 2027 Oyo State governorship election should be centred on ideas, competence, development and the welfare of residents.
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