Connect with us
Advertisement

Nigeria News

2023: We Didn’t Endorsed Makinde For 2nd Term – Ibadan Compound Heads

Published

on

Oyo Guber: Accord Party Sack Executives For Endorsing PDP's Makinde
Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde
Advertisement

Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, and other governorship candidates in the 2023 general elections only sought our blessings, and we have not endorsed the incumbent leader nor any of his opponents, heads of various compounds in Ibadan land under the auspices of Mogaji Ile Ibadan said.

The Yoruba elders stated this in reaction to reports that they have backed Makinde for a second term in office, Naija News reports.

Governor Makinde is seeking re-election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Makinde’s major opponents in the contest are Senator Teslim Folarin (All Progressives Congress – APC) and Adebayo Adelabu (Accord Party).

Addressing journalists, however, shortly after their meeting on Tuesday at the Yemetu area of Ibadan, the state capital, the compound heads said they are not politicians; hence they cannot anoint or endorse any candidates.

Advertisement

According to the Independent, the meeting was attended by no fewer than 30 compound heads. The compound heads said those who claimed to have endorsed the governor were politicians who called themselves Mogaji’s.

They added that all candidates, including those not Ibadan indigenes, only seek their blessing, not endorsement.

Speaking on behalf of the compound heads, Mogaji Muktar Adewale Gbadeyanka, the Mogaji of Adeyipo compound in Ibadan, noted that the compound heads have the right to bless all the candidates but cannot in anyway anoint or endorse anyone for political positions.

Advertisement

He explained that it is not in the custom or tradition of Ibadan chiefs to anoint or endorse any candidate for political positions.

Mogaji Gbadeyanka reiterated that the purported endorsement was not the decision of all Mogaji’s in Ibadanland, saying those who are behind it are on their own.

He said, “What prompted this gathering is because we Ibadan Mogaji’s have not anointed any candidate, the reason is that we Ibadan Mogaji’s are not politicians; all candidates have been coming to us to seek blessing from us, including those candidates who are not an indigene of Ibadanland.

Advertisement
Advertisement

“The purported endorsement holds no water because all towns have their rules and regulations; Ibadanland has culture and rules; Olubadan and the Olubadan-in-Council don’t endorse but only bless candidates which affect them positively, that is why we, the Mogaji’s, cannot also endorse any candidate.

“Over 200 Ibadan Mogaji converged for a meeting last week Friday at Ibadan Northeast Local Government, one of us, who is a senatorial candidate, came to us during our meeting and sought our blessing.

“He didn’t request our support, he only sought our blessing, but we were surprised to see a media report that some Mogaji’s have endorsed a candidate.”

He explained further that they had been told earlier that Makinde was planning to meet them, particularly the Olubadan of Ibadanland, to receive his blessing and that they were anticipating his coming.

“There is no misunderstanding among the Ibadan Mogaji’s, we are all one, we are yet to know if those that endorsed the candidate are Mogaji’s”.

“We want to tell you that Ibadan Mogajis did not endorse or anoint any candidate. We did not endorse anyone. We are not politicians. We have blessed all the candidates. We did not support any candidate.

“Ibadan chiefs do not support or endorse any candidate. All the candidates have come to us and we have blessed them. We do not anoint any candidate. We are not against or support any candidate”, Gbadeyanka stressed.