Supporters of the Deputy National Chairman (South) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja, have dismissed allegations of serial betrayal against the party leader, describing the claims as a deliberate attempt to rewrite history and undermine his decades-long political legacy.

The defence was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by Sunday Babatunde in response to a publication titled “Between the Hero and the Villain of Oyo Politics: Question of Serial Betrayal.”

Babatunde described the publication as “a tissue of lies” orchestrated by political detractors and fronted by unnamed individuals with the sole aim of tarnishing Arapaja’s reputation.

He maintained that contrary to the allegations, the former Deputy Governor of Oyo State had built his political career on loyalty, sacrifice, grassroots mobilisation and unwavering commitment to the ideals of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

According to the statement, Ambassador Arapaja, who hails from the Oladejo Arapaja family of Kudeti, Ibadan, has consistently demonstrated that leadership is earned through service and integrity rather than political manipulation.

The statement recalled that before the 1992 House of Representatives election, Arapaja voluntarily stepped down for the late Owolabi Olakulehin at the request of the late Governor Lam Adesina and the late Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu in the interest of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

It argued that the decision reflected Arapaja’s commitment to party unity, contrary to claims portraying him as a politician known for betrayal.

Babatunde also dismissed reports suggesting that Arapaja had disagreements with the late Adedibu over the emergence of Adedoja Ekolo as chairman of Ibadan South-East Local Government, insisting that the process was conducted with the approval of party leaders.

On Arapaja’s appointment as Nigeria’s Ambassador in 2012, the statement said the appointment was neither lobbied for nor secured through political influence.

It explained that following consultations among respected Oyo PDP elders, including the late Chief Dejo Raimi, the late Chief Richard Akinjide, Chief Jacob Adetoro and Baba Ogunlade, Arapaja emerged as a consensus choice after former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala declined to endorse the names earlier presented by the elders.

The statement added that the resolution was subsequently conveyed to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who was prevailed upon to support the consensus decision.

Defending Arapaja’s role in the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Babatunde noted that although the former deputy governor contested the party’s governorship primary in 2018 alongside other aspirants, he accepted the outcome without protest and later participated in the coalition that produced Governor Seyi Makinde in the 2019 governorship election.

The statement further maintained that Arapaja remained steadfast during the internal crises that rocked the PDP, choosing to stand by Governor Makinde despite what it described as sustained pressure and inducements from rival political camps.

It also recalled that in 2011, Governor Makinde sought Arapaja’s support for the Oyo South Senatorial ticket, but Arapaja declined because he was unwilling to abandon Senator Kamorudeen Adedibu, whom he regarded as the son of his political benefactor.

According to Babatunde, the latest attacks against Arapaja stem from his principled stance on political succession and reward mechanisms within the PDP rather than any proven act of disloyalty.

“The political history of Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja is open to public scrutiny. His record is defined by loyalty, consistency and selfless service, not betrayal. No amount of propaganda or character assassination can erase decades of commitment to the people of Oyo State and the Peoples Democratic Party,” the statement said.

He urged members of the public to disregard what he described as politically motivated attempts to distort historical facts, insisting that Arapaja’s contributions to the growth of the PDP and democratic governance in Oyo State remain undeniable.