My Statement Misconstrued, I Remain Father To All, Says Ataoja

 

Kazeem Badmus

THE Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji Olanipekun, has cleared air over the insinuation that he is throwing his support behind the gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ademola Adeleke.

The monarch while addressing journalists in his palace on Wednesday said he did not in anyway pledge his support for the PDP candidate, saying he remains father to all the contestants.

According to the monarch, some members of the public misinterpreted his statement during the visit of the PDP gubernatorial candidate to his palace.

The monarch had during the visit laid curse on political thugs who attacked members of the PDP during the visit, claiming it was the PDP who install him as a king.

Ataoja said: “It has come to my attention that some sections of my domain in Osogboland have deliberately misinterpreted and misconstrued my statement during the PDP gubernatorial candidate, Senator Jackson Adeleke’s visit to my Palace in Osogbo.

“My assertion that nobody should do anything to disturb the peace and tranquility of Osogboland under the guise of political activism, more so that various political parties had paid visit without any outward incident ought not to be misinterpreted, to that I am using my position as the Ataoja of Osogboland to support the PDP in particular against all the other political parties, including the party in power the APC.

“I want to state that more political parties will still pay visit to my royal palace ahead of the July 16 gubernatorial election and I will not condone any act of violence from any political party against one another.

“I hereby assert here in particular that the people of Osogbo appreciate the good work of the present party in government in the State of Osun and will not do anything to truncate the peace and tranquility of the state in general and Osogbo in particular”.

The monarch however appealed to the sons and daughters of Osogbo to go out peacefully on the 16th of July to vote for the candidate of their choice without any act of violence. 

He said: “Your vote will count and don’t let any political party place a price tag on you. “I want to thank Governor Isiaka Adegboyega Oyetola for being a lover of peace and I pledge my unalloyed loyalty to him and his government.