Traditionalists seal off Ondo APC secretariat; Deji of Akure condemns action

There was pandemonium at the premises of Ondo State Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Oyemekun Road, Akure on Monday as residents woke to behold a fetish object at the gate.
The object was placed at the locked gate of the secretariat.
A source said it must have been placed overnight by some traditionalists working for some aggrieved governorship aspirants on the platform of the party.
Some residents going to work in the morning, on sighting the objects, ran away.
Some workers at the secretariat who also saw the objects, called their colleagues not to venture coming to work.
In the morning, a small crowd gathered, discussing the incident in hushed tones.
In a swift reaction, the Deji of Akure, Oba Ogunlade Aladetoyinbo, condemned the action.
This is contained in a statement by Mr Michael Adeyeye, the Chief Press Secretary to the Deji on Monday.
He condemned the attitude of those who sealed the entrance of the party secretariat with palm fronds which is the traditional means of sealing-off premises in Akureland.
“The sacrilegious act carried out at the Ondo State Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress early this morning is condemned in its totality.
“We want to state that carrying out traditional sealing-off of premises remains the prerogative of the palace.
“The Deji of Akure remains non-partisan and a father to all political aspirants and never authorised such.
“The palace is apolitical and therefore should not be dragged into the internal wrangling of any party,’’ Adeyeye said.
According to him, Oba Ogunlade frowned at the attitude and wished to inform the general public that such an act did not emanate from the palace as any attempt to desecrate the tradition will be vehemently rebuffed.
The palace spokesman explained that those who carried out the act were not aware of the cultural and traditional implications of the action.
He said that the palace had sent its emissaries to carry out a thorough investigation of the matter and was confident that the culprits would be apprehended in no distant time.
Adeyeye also called on the APC and security agencies to unravel the circumstances behind the abominable act and bring to book those behind the sacrilegious act so as to serve as deterrent.
The object was later removed by some party members under watch of security operatives but the office was yet to be opened as at the time of this report.