By Peter Adedoyin
The Akarigbo Palace in Sagamu, Ogun State, has debunked a story making the rounds that the Akarigbo and Paramount Ruler of Remo-land, Oba (Dr) Adewale Babatunde Ajayi travelled abroad to plead with Sir Kessington Adebukunola Adebutu on behalf Governor Dapo Abiodun over the March 18 governorship election in the state.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had on March 19, 2023 declared Governor Dapo Abiodun winner of the Governorship election conducted in Ogun State on March 18.
In declaring Abiodun winner, Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Prof. Kayode Oyebode Adebowale, who was the Returning Officer for Ogun State governorship poll, said Dapo Abiodun satisfied the requirements of the law and hereby declared him as Governor – elect.
The governor polled 276,298 to beat his main challenger, PDP’S Adebutu who recorded 262,383 votes. Olubiyi Otegbeye of the ADC polled 94,754.
However, Adebutu has since approached the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abeokuta, the state capital to challenge the outcome of the poll even as false and misleading information keep flying about Dapo Abiodun seeking settlement with the opposition in respect of the governorship poll result.
Refuting the fake and misleading information making the rounds, the Akarigbo Palace said that the insinuation that a recent trip undertaken by the revered monarch was sponsored by Governor Abiodun was not only misleading, but also an insult to the Akarigbo in particular and the Remo Traditional Council in general.
The palace attributed the origin of the false, fake and misleading information to mischief makers.
Explaining this in a statement by Barr. Adebayo Onafuwa on behalf of the Akarigbo Palace, he stated that the publication being circulated against the monarch was the writer’s deliberately doctored prepared speech delivered at the meeting with Sir Kessington.
Barr. Onafuwa who is the Bamofin of Remo-land, noted that the author doctored and perverted the speech to suit his/her political intentions and deceive unsuspecting members of the public.
It further noted that: “While the Akarigbo Palace is not out to throw itself into the fray of partisan politics, we believe we owe our Indigenes and all well-meaning people a duty to set the records straight because a lie that is told unchallenged has the tendency of being mistaken as the truth.
“As the custodian of the customs, tradition, culture and norms of Remo people, we felt, and still feel, concerned about the fallouts of the recent elections in Ogun State in which two of our sons from the same town (Iperu) vied for the governorship position. This aftermath of the said elections has been a source of concern to well-meaning people of the State in general and Remo-land in particular, leading the Alayeluwa Akarigbo and his entourage to make a reconciliation visit to London.
“If others outside our Remo Division of Ogun State could deem reconciling our subjects, then, it behooves on us to up what we have been doing internally, to stem the no- love-lost.
“The individual sponsorship by members of the entourage was made unambiguous in the address delivered in London and for anyone to try to smear the image of the top-notch personalities that made the trip on their own accord is most uncharitable.
“The Akarigbo has done what is naturally expected of any occupant of the stool and Kabiyesi Alayeluwa will continue to work for peace and tranquility not only in Remo-land but also in all parts of Ogun State in his capacity as Akarigbo and Paramount Ruler of Remo and also the current Chairman of Ogun State Council of Obas.
“We will therefore not be drawn into partisan politics or be deterred by antics of politicians.”
Similarly, a group under the aegis of Ogun Integrity Vanguard has commended the statement released by the Akarigbo of Remo, clarifying that the trip he made to London with other traditional rulers to interface with billionaire lotto entrepreneur, Sir Kessington Adebutu, had nothing to do with the Ogun State governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun.
The group in a statement signed by its Secretary, Duro Thomas, and made available to newsmen in Abeokuta, said that the foremost traditional ruler’s statement had put paid to the lie that the governor was seeking an out-of-court settlement with Adebutu’s son, Hon Ladi Adebutu, over the governorship election petition he (Ladi Adebutu) submitted challenging the governor’s victory during the March 18 governorship election in the state.
“Saying that it was unconscionable for mischief makers to seek to rubbish the exalted throne of the Paramount Ruler of Remoland and President , Remo Traditional Council, and those of other Remo kings for political gain, the group added that Governor Abiodun remained fully focused on transforming the fortunes and enhancing the living standards of the Ogun populace, and would not be drawn into the political game meant to distract him front his renewed mandate.
The group flayed the author of the misleading publication for deliberately doctoring of the Akarigbo’s speech at the meeting with Sir Kessington to suit the mischief making intention of those behind it and hailed the Palace for its clarification on the matter.
The group said: “Before the Akarigbo’s clarification through Barrister Adebayo Onafuwa, Bamofin of Remoland, mischief makers on social media had claimed that Prince Abiodun was begging Ladi Adebutu to withdraw his petition challenging Governor Abiodun’s victory.”
“Indeed we agree with this royal submission. It is saddening that these individuals without conscience and lacking any shred of integrity sought to rubbish royalty, but the Akarigbo and other Remo obas have now shown those behind the fake news to be pure mischief makers.
”As the Akarigbo’s statement indicated, the Remo rulers as the custodian of the customs of the Remo people only felt concerned about the fallouts of the recent elections in Ogun State in which two of their sons from the same town (Iperu) vied for the governorship position and sought to hold peace talks with them in the interest of Remo Kingdom and Ogun State in general.
“Therefore, it is uncharitable to insinuate that the trip was sponsored by Governor Abiodun to placate those he defeated in an open contest. How could they insult our revered traditional rulers in this manner?
“We condemn the misrepresentation of facts by these mischief makers and warn them to cease and desist from dragging our exalted traditional rulers into their perverse politics.
“Seeking to draw Prince Abiodun into their vile game is an exercise in futility.”
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