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Stakeholders in the Ogun West Region of Ogun state have expressed discontent over some traditional rulers’ endorsement of a Lagos senator, Senator Olamilekan Adeola well-known as Yayi over them.
The stakeholders under the auspices of Coalition of Ogun West Political Movement condemned the traditional rulers for their extremity in backing a ‘dubious and suspicious’ Lagos politician, Yayi.
The stakeholders in a statement by its Co-ordinator, Muideen Akintade, on Friday, noted that Yayi’s ambition to contest the Ogun west senatorial district in 2023 comes with a sinister motives to distort the politics of the state.
“The attention of Ogun West stakeholders comprising of political and socio-political groups has been drawn to a purported endorsement of one Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (aka Yayi) for the seat of Ogun west senatorial district come 2023 by some factional district heads (Baale) from Ogun West.
“This purported endorsement came from set of personalities who were supposed to be fathers of all political aspirants— irrespective of their ideologies, philosophies, political affiliations or religion.
“The sustainability of cultural heritage, values and norms of a nation solely rest on the shoulders of traditional rulers, so is the traditional institutions around them. As custodians of culture, they are the first and last line of defense against social-political rancour in the society, with this, they ought to remain apolitical. It is safe to say that these set of baale have not only compromised their values but have also stained the garment of honour bequeathed on them due to their avariciousness.
“There is a Yoruba adage that says, “an elder doesn’t sit in the market and watch the head of a newborn get twisted”. Traditional royalty and politics are like oil and water, the two don’t blend well and should not be allowed to mix in order to prevent an eruption of violence.”
Akintade added that there are qualified people to aspire for the position, adding that Yayi’s shoe of interest is an tactics by Lagos cabal to intrude and disrupt the political terrain of the state.
“In Ogun west today, there are numbers of bona-fide indigenes who have shown interest in representing our senatorial district at the red chamber with the capacity to do so. It is worrisome that an impostor from the Lagos cabal is sent to distort the political hitch-free atmosphere Ogun west people have been enjoying in the region since the birth of democracy.
“This Lagos politician who has been serving for over two decades in Lagos believes he can rob Ogun West people by claiming an untraceable indigeneship in the region. It is appalling that this Senator presently representing Lagos West Senatorial District abandoned the mandate given to him by the people who voted for him to eye Ogun West Senatorial seat at the same time. This is clear enough to prove that this Senator was planted in Ogun West for some dubious, suspicious and questionable motives by the Lagos Cabal.”
He also bash the district heads for endorsing an aspirant, stating that such is beyond the expectation of the traditional institution.
Akintade said: “Meanwhile, the Baales who have endorsed his aspiration are just far away from the knowledge of who they are as traditional leaders and institutions. Aside this fact, we find it very disturbing that those we referred to as our revered fathers can endorse a man whose background has always cause political brouhaha in the political space owed to his fraudulent aspiration.”
While the Coalition co-ordinator, Akintade call on the district heads to withdraw from their bias position on ground, he also summoned the state All Progressives Congress to caution the said Senator Yayi.
“This is a call out to all the Baales who endorsed the aspiration of Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (aka Yayi) to vacate their respective stool and engage in fulltime politics— by joining any political party they wish rather than dragging the traditional institution into the mud with their irresponsible act. Remonstrance will greet their failure to comply.
“We call on the National Working Committee of the All Progressive Congress (APC) to send caveats to Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola for him to desist from causing political violence and chaos in Ogun West— as we have capable true indigenes who could contest and represent Ogun West at the Red Chambers come 2023.”
He, however, urged the residents of Ogun state to exercise patience as the stakeholders in Ogun West are determined to foil the ambition of the Lagos cabal.
“We also call on the good people of Ogun West to remain calm and focus as we will ensure that we are not represented at the red chamber by any impostor or stranger at the 10th national assembly. We shall soon have our unpolluted political atmosphere back in at one piece.”
