By KINGSLEY OHENS

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Edo State Chapter, has demanded the payment of $1 million as a condition for its gubernatorial candidate in the September 21 governorship election in Edo State, Monday Okpebholo, to appear on Arise Television for an interview.

Arise TV popular anchor, Rufai Oseni, in a post on his verified X handle account @ruffydfire, had last week thrown an open challenge to Okpebholo to make himself available on Monday, August 12, to be interviewed since it had become public knowledge that Okpebholo was avoiding both the media and the people.

But instead of the APC and Okpebholo to make good use of the open invitation, the Director, All Progressives Congress (APC) New Media Directorate, Osigwe Omo-Ikirodah, asked the TV station and Rufai to pay Okpebholo the sum of $1 million for him to appear on its station for an interview.

Omo-Ikirodah in a statement titled, APC New Media Campaign Council Responds to Rufai Oseni and Arise TVs Misleading Narrative, said: If Arise TV and Rufai Oseni are so eager to have Senator Okpebholo on their platform, perhaps they should consider compensating him with a sum of $1 million.

Only then might he entertain the notion of subjecting himself to what we can only describe as an act of media bullying.

The integrity and principles of our candidate are not for sale, but such an offer might at least demonstrate a seriousness on their part that has thus far been sorely lacking.

The statement further faulted Rufai for using a misleading infographic depicting the APC governorship candidate as running from an interview.

But Rufai in a Monday afternoon post on his X account, mocked the APC and its candidate for asking him for payment before its candidate would make himself available for an interview.

Laughing the idea to scorn, Rufai stated that whether Okpebholo comes for an interview or not it is their problem.

The full post reads:

A political party telling me to give them 1m dollars before their candidate comes to speak on TV.

Hahahahaha! Like the candidate comes or not thats their problem oooo. They also lied that I created an infographic of their candidate running from Arise TV, I challenge them to give me the fact that the info graphic emanated from my page, if they cant, they are lying.

Its sad that candidates that want to lead others cant come for interviews and the people still support them. These current actors have destroyed our democracy, he wrote.