We were shocked and astonished to read your report insinuating that His Excellency The Governor of Kwara State solicited and/or paid for an invitation to be extended towards his wife, Her Excellency, Mrs Oluwatoyin Saraki to attend or participate at the upcoming event of the Egbe Omo Yoruba of North America and Canada scheduled for August 2009.
Due to the misconception such a misleading report titled “Street fight ahead: Massive protest await Alao Akala, Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, Dimeji Bankole, Bukola Saraki’s wife at the Egbe Omo Yoruba North America Annual convention” as published on your website www.saharareporters.com could generate, I am compelled to write this rejoinder and request that you set the record straight.
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May I state categorically that neither His Excellency, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki, the Executive Governor of Kwara State nor his wife solicited for or asked anyone to solicit for such an invitation on their behalf either directly or indirectly.
I confirm that an unsolicited notification regarding the aforementioned event and requesting Her Excellency's participation was recently received by Government House Ilorin for Her Excellency's kind consideration to which Her Excellency has not yet responded or committed to attending to date, beyond acknowledging receipt as is standard courtesy.
Claims therefore, and indeed fanciful imaginings that Their Excellencies solicited or paid for an invitation for any purpose are totally inconceivable and quite simply false.
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As a responsible private citizen who both supports the enhancement of national culture and generally holds the media in high regard, Mrs Saraki denies and refutes all statements, assumptions and inferences pertaining to herself and her husband, the Kwara State Governor, as contained in your story in its entirety.
I sincerely hope that you will kindly publish this rejoinder with appropriately equal prominence to the misconceived story.
Thank you
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