December 13, (THEWILL) – The Palace of the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun, has denied reports that the monarch has endorsed Peter Obi, the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate for the 2023 election.
Obi, on Saturday, led his campaign team on a courtesy visit to the Olubadan.
While at the palace, some members of the Advisory Council joined the monarch to receive Obi.
The attendees among the High Chiefs were Balogun of Ibadanland, his Otun, Osi, Ashipa and Ekerin Olubadan namely High Chiefs Owolabi Olakulehin, Tajudeen Ajibola, Lateef Gbadamosi Adebimpe, Kola Adegbola, Eddy Oyewole and Hamidu Ajibade respectively.
While High Chief Ajibola responded to the campaign speech made by Peter Obi, High Chief Oyewole offered prayers for him on his ambition.
Reacting to a viral video of a purported endorsement by the palace, Media aide to the Olubadan, Oladele Ogunsola, expressed shock at how the LP candidate and his handlers could turn prayers into an outright endorsement.
The monarch and his members of the Advisory Council described the claim as false and self-concocted, to mislead the general public
In a statement on Tuesday, Ogusola said the monarchy could have chosen to ignore the video, however various inquiries from media houses prompted the clarification.
The statement read: “The attention of the palace of Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun has been drawn to the claim of endorsement of the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, by the monarch and his members of Advisory Council, a claim described as false and self concocted one to mislead the general public.
“The palace could have ignored the report and dismissed it with a wave of the hand, but with the torrents of inquiries by some of our credible media houses seeking clarification before publishing and the need to counter social media trending of the foul report without professional touch, this reaction becomes imperative.
“How could anybody have in his or her widest imagination assumed that a presidential candidate of any political party would receive an open endorsement from a place like the palace of Olubadan? That must be a crude joke carried too far. It is preposterous, to say the least.
“While discountenancing the claim of endorsement by the Olubadan Advisory Council, our politicians are counselled to please leave the palace out of their game. The campaign is just starting and the visits to the palaces are part of the itinerary of the candidates, how would they feel should the gates of palaces be locked against them?
“For the umpteenth time, let it be emphasised that Olubadan and his cabinet members do not and cannot belong to any political party and they would never express a preference for any candidate or political party in the public no matter the degree of temptation. The palace of Olubadan belongs to all just as the occupier of the exalted stool remains the father of all as well.
“In the meantime, I commend my professional colleagues and their respective media houses who saw the oddity in such a claim and sought for further clarifications following their putting the report in abeyance.
“I also appeal to the social media handlers to always think twice before rushing out with reports as the season we are in presently does not call for undue sensationalism.”
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