The crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ondo State took another dimension when the party’s secretariat was sealed off by ritualists.
The local “injunction” made up of palm fronds was discovered hanging on the party’s office at Oyemekun Road in Akure on the the morning of Monday, August 29, 2016.
The local injunction is reportedly believed to be a replica of the Ogun shrine. Ogun is a warrior god in traditional Yoruba religion.
It will be recalled that two weeks ago, some aggrieved party members led by Bar. Tolu Babaleye and Hon. Saka Yusuf Ogunleye had locked up the party secretariat preventing the party chairman in the state, Hon. Isaac Kekemeke, from entering the office.
The aggrieved groups were upset over the alleged moved by a national leader of the party, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu to impose one of the governorship aspirants in the party, Mr. Segun Abraham, as the party candidate.
In reaction, the this development, the Deji and Paramount Ruler of Akure,Oba Ogunlade Aladetoyinbo Aladelus, issued a statement condemning the “sacrilegious act” and said that miscreants sealed the entrance to the APC secretariat using traditional means.
The statement, which was e-mailed to The Trent, was signed by Adeyeye Michael, the chief press secretary to the Deji of Akure Kingdom.
You may read the full statement below:
PRESS RELEASE ON THE TRADITIONAL SEAL ON APC SECRETARIAT
The attention of the Palace of His Royal Majesty, Oba Ogunlade Aladetoyinbo Aladelusi, Odundun II, the Deji and Paramount Ruler of Akure, has been drawn to the sacrilegious act carried out at the Ondo State Secretariat of the All Progressive Congress early this morning (Monday, August 29, 2016).
The palace condemns the attitude of some miscreants who went and sealed the entrance of the party secretariat with the traditional palm fronds which is the traditional means of sealing off premises in Akureland.
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 authorized such.
Oba Ogunlade frowns at this attitude and wishes to inform the general public that such act did not emanate from the palace.
We wish to inform you that any attempt to desecrate the tradition will be vehemently rebuffed.
It is certain that those who carried out this condemnable act are not aware of the cultural and traditional implications of this action.
The palace is a-political and therefore should not be dragged into the internal wrangling of any party.
The Palace has sent its emissaries to carry out a thorough investigation of the matter and we are confident that the culprits will be apprehended in no distant time.
We call on the APC party executives to unravel the circumstances behind this abominable act.
We equally call on security agencies to investigate and bring to book those behind the sacrilegious act so as to serve as deterrent to would-be persons.
We want to state without mincing words that the palace has nothing to do with and equally condemns it in its entirety.
Signed
Adeyeye Michael
CPS, Deji of Akure Kingdom
