Diocesan Bishop of Ijesa North, Anglican Communion, Rev. Isaac Oluyamo, on Monday said he was wrongly quoted when some online publications said he told a congregation that when reelected, Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, may no longer pay workers’ salary regularly.
Some online news platform had reported that Oluyamo, while delivering a sermon at an event held at St. Stephen’s Anglican Church Ere-Ijesa, Osun State, had said payment of salary would cease after Oyetola’s re-election.
Oluyamo was quoted to have said, “I know members of the All Progressives Congress will not like what I want to say, but Governor Oyetola will win the governorship election, but salary will cease for four years.”
But speaking with The PUNCH on Monday, Oluyamo said he was misquoted, adding that what he said was that every eligible resident should get Permanent Voters’ Card and vote during the election.
“What I said was that everybody should collect their voters’ cards and vote. If you do not vote, you have voted for somebody and that is to encourage you to vote because we have just finished a meeting in Port-Harcourt in which we have advised that people should collect their voters’ cards and vote.
“I also said any government that wins an election, whether in local government, state or federal level, should pay salary. If you are a god-fearing person and you do not pay salaries God will judge such person.
“Anybody that will govern us should pay salaries. As an individual, I can speak about what I know and what I said is that any government, be it local government, governor or president should pay salary.”
Asked if he mentioned that Oyetola would stop payment of salary when reelected, Oluyamo said, “Of course, that is false.
They also said that I said Oyetola will win the election? How did I know that he will win? When I’m not campaigning for him to win.”
Meanwhile, Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Ismail Omipidan, while reacting to the statement credited to Oluyamo, noted that the clergy’s alleged claim that the second term of governors and government was always full of turbulence, showed that he was only expressing his personal opinion based on logic.
He also declared that Oyetola would continue to pay the salaries of workers if re-elected.
Omipidan said, “While we appreciate the clergyman’s goodwill and understand his concern and fears, which are products of existential realities and experiences, we make bold to say that Governor Oyetola will continue to pay full salaries as long as he remains Osun’s helmsman because it is a covenant between him and God.”
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