Awujale and Paramount ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, yesterday, rejected an overture to endorse President Goodluck Jonathan for second term.
Oba Adetona who hosted the President at his palace in Ijebu-Ode urged the President to present his programme to the people of Ijebuland for them to form their opinion on whether to vote him or not.
President Jonathan had arrived the Awujale’s palace at 11:15, in company of the national Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Adamu Mu’azu, the Governor of Bayelsa State, Seriake Dickson, Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Segun Mimiko, and as usual the former governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel.
Others at the meeting include, the minister-designate, Musiliu Obanikoro, Chairman, Mobilisation and Organisation Committee of the PDP in the South West, Prince Buruji Kashamu, the PDP governorship candidate in the state, Gboyega Isiaka, PDP leaders as well as some members of All Progressives Congress, APC, and Social Democratic Party, SDP.
According to Awujale, “In Ijebu, it is not possible for any Oba, not only in Ijebu, but Yoruba land, to go out and say vote for this or vote for that. Whoever does that is looking for trouble. But give the candidate the opportunity to present his programme so that people can make up their minds on what to do. I think this is a very sound democratic principle and that is what I have decided to do, to give you the opportunity of meeting with the people.
“One, they see you as a person, how beautiful you are, whether to engage with you or not, to listen to you and see if there are areas where we can meet, as a result, everybody congregating here, they belong to different groups, they are PDP members, APC members, APGA, they belong to various interests, and when they come, they get to the gate, they shed their togas.
“PDP will remove their PDP, APC will remove their own, APGA will remove their own, and they are going to the palace, to meet their ruler, their paramount ruler, to receive that important august visitor who is coming to their land and give him all honour that he is entitled to.
“I am sure over the years, there has been improvement but this election is full of tension, I don’t know how it is so, and elections have never been like this. In about 55 years, I have never seen any election that is full of tension and the one we are having now, my prayer is, God should guide us and make sure that there’s peace, harmony and tranquility in the country,” he said.
In his speech, the President pledged to partner with Ijebu sons and daughters in the area of appointment, describing Ijebuland as a great land.
President Jonathan while reacting to the demands of the people of Ijebu who requested that the president should facilitate the creation of Ijebu State among others said: “ Your Royal Majesty, we will partner with your sons and daughters, on the issue of appointment. Ijebuland is a great land and there’s no government that will neglect the people of Ijebuland, I have to take that very very seriously.
“We promise as a party and as a government that we will make sure that we don’t play with the unity of this country, we will do all we can to bring Nigeria together, all what we can to make sure that we pioneer economic activities as the Ijebus are well known in the area of commerce and industry, even as a child, I was shown how hard-working the Ijebu are before I travelled to any part of Ijebu land. We will also partner with people across the nation, men and women, for the purpose of moving this country forward.
“Your Royal Majesty, let me re-assure you that we will do our best, we have come here to seek for your blessing and I led the team in 2007 when I was running as the Vice President to see you and 2011, we met again, not in the palace and today we are led by the National Chairman and I believe that our interaction with the people will help us prepare. That is why we have a number of Government functionaries with me so that after the elections, we will put this on the table, and look at the demands of people from all parts of the country, and see how we can co-opt some especially those that can encourage commerce and industry, education and in terms of health service delivery and in terms of infrastructure, it is basic because for us, to progress as a nation, infrastructure must be in place.
Earlier, speaking on behalf of the Ijebu traditional council, the Dagburewe of Idowa, Oba Yinusa Adekoya had observed that the Jonathan administration had sidelined their kinsmen in the appointment.
Oba Adekoya who read the welcome address, lamented the moribund Iwopin paper mills, Olokola deep sea port among others urging the president to intervene.
Meanwhile, the President who ended the meeting with Awujale and members of the traditional council at 12:50 pm held another closed door meeting with the deputy governor of the state, Prince Segun Adesegun and the governorship candidate of the PDP, Gboyega Isiaka in the presence of the Awujale.
