May 10, (THEWILL) – The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun has distanced himself from the purported endorsement of one of the aspirants for the Oyo South Senatorial District on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Joseph Tegbe, by his son, Aremo Femi Balogun.
Aremo Femi Balogun reportedly visited and endorsed Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe of the PDP for the 2023 senatorial election in Oyo South Sena
Olubadan said his son’s choice and decision was solely private and did not represent his interest or that of the Aliiwo dynasty, adding that the palace had endorsed Senator Kola Balogun who is seeking re-election.
Balogun won the election on the ticket of the PDP, but he defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) because Governor Seyi Makinde denied him a second term ticket.
The Olubadan, in a statement signed by his media aide, Oladele Ogunsola, said the palace frowned at attempts to associate the exalted throne with such a personal and unguarded visit and endorsement by a member of the family using the name of monarch.
The statement reads in part, “The purported visitation of Femi Balogun, son of Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Sen. Lekan Balogun, to his schoolmate and politician in the state, Mr. Olasunkanmi Tegbe, has been described as a private and personal affair of Femi and it has no blessing of the Olubadan palace.
“Femi, the Aremo Olubadan was alleged to have endorsed the Senatorial ambition of Tegbe during the visit, a position which is at variance with that of the Aliiwo dynasty where the current Olubadan hails from.
“The palace distances itself from the purported visit and endorsement of Tegbe by Femi and condemns such in view of the fact that the Aliiwo dynasty which today sits on the Ibadan throne also has a son, who currently serves as Senator in the same Senatorial District in the person of Senator Kola Balogun and still wishes to serve another term.
“As much as nobody can prevent Femi, being an adult, from holding a personal political view and democracy enjoins freedom of choice, the palace frowns at the dragging of the exalted throne into such personal and unguarded visit and endorsement by a member of the family using the name of Olubadan.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the palace wishes to let the whole public know that Femi was not sent on such an errand and nobody in the palace would dare do such because Olubadan remains the father of all. From all intent and purposes, he was on his own and his purported message carries no blessings of the Olubadan palace.”
About the Author
