The Ladi Adebutu Development Organisation has faulted the claim that the late Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, endorsed the ambition of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Ogun State, Senator Solomon Adeola, popularly known as Yayi.
The campaign organisation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu, made its position known on Sunday while reacting to the statement credited to the Orimolusi of Ijebu-Igbo, Oba Lawrence Jaiyeoba.
Oba Jaiyeoba, who is the Acting Chairman of Ijebu Traditional Council, was reported to have said at the weekend that the late Awujale endorsed Adeola as his preferred candidate to succeed Governor Dapo Abiodun in 2027.
The monarch was quoted to have said the late Awujale informed the Ijebu Traditional Council of his decision in 2024.
But Adebutu, in a statement signed by the LADO Director of Media, Afolabi Orekoya, warned against rewriting history with fake news.
The PDP candidate maintained that the Awujale never endorsed Adeola’s gubernatorial ambition, describing any contrary narrative as a fabricated piece of political revisionism.
He recalled that Senator Adeola was barred from the prestigious Ojude Oba festival in 2024 as a result of “systemic rejection.”
“If the Awujale endorsed him, why was he banned from Ojude Oba,” Adebutu queried.
He argued that anyone doubting his position should make public the video evidence of the Awujale’s open endorsement of Adeola in 2024.
The statement partly read, “Our attention has been drawn to a fictitious, desperate, and heavily sponsored report claiming that the late Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, His Royal Majesty Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, endorsed Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (Yayi) as his ‘preferred gubernatorial choice’ before joining his ancestors.
“As people dedicated to truth, accountability, and the preservation of our revered traditional institutions, we wish to completely debunk this fabricated piece of political revisionism.”
“This is a classic case of dead men telling no tales, deployed by a desperate governorship candidate trying to validate his systemic rejection by the good people of Ogun State.
“We counter this propaganda with undeniable facts and a simple question – If the Awujale endorsed him, why was he banned from Ojude Oba?
“The narrative claims the late Awujale loved Yayi so much that he gave him a posthumous political crown.
“We cannot rewrite history, just two years ago, Senator Adeola deployed state machinery and huge amounts of financial donations to secure the coveted slot of ‘Chairman of the Day’ for the iconic Ojude Oba Festival in 2024.
“His billboards were hoisted, and his media machinery went into overdrive. Yet, in a swift and uncompromising move, the stranger was abruptly dropped and banned from chairing the festival and could not attend the event.”
“With due respect to the throne of Orimolusi, we are aware that most respected Monarchs of Ijebuland dissociate themselves from the fabricated statement.
“We will continue to appeal to our royal fathers not to allow their good offices to be used as the political mouthpiece to make pronouncements that never happened. By standing before the public to claim that the late Awujale openly declared a ‘stranger’ as his preferred choice during the 2024 festival, this has become a huge shock to all the people that were present and witnessed the 2024 Ojude Oba.
“For this our truth to be faulted, we request for the video clip of the ‘open endorsement’ in 2024 to be made public. Again, why was such a pronouncement not reported by any national daily when Baba Awujale was alive to confirm or deny?”
“To wait until the revered paramount ruler passed away, and then manufacture a phantom royal blessing during a partisan meeting with Governor Dapo Abiodun, reveals the sheer dishonesty driving their campaign. Our father’s throne should not be reduced to a propaganda desk for the ruling party.”
Adebutu restated his commitment to issue-based campaign rooted in genuine home-grown leadership, respect for the living and departed Obas, as well as the socio-economic liberation of Ogun State.
