2023 Presidency: Olubadan Endorsed Peter Obi? Palace Opens Up
- The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Olalekan Balogun, has dismissed the claims that he endorsed the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi
- Oladele Ogunsola, the media aide to the monarch, issued the clarification in a statement released on Tuesday, December 13
- Ogunsola said the monarch and his cabinet members do not belong to any political party and can't endorse one candidate over the others
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Ibadan, Oyo state - The Palace of the Olubadan of Ibadanland has denied endorsing the presidential candidate of the Labor Party (LP), Peter Obi, ahead of the 2023 general election.
A video had surfaced on social media showing a member of the traditional council praying for Obi when he paid a courtesy call to the monarch.
Source: Twitter
The video has, however, been termed as the monarch's endorsement of Obi by some of his supporters.
Praying for Peter Obi does not mean an endorsement, palace clarifies
Reacting, the palace described the claims that the Olubadan, Oba Olalekan Balogun, endorsed Obi as false and self-concocted aimed at misleading the general public, The Nation reported.
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The media aide to the monarch, Oladele Ogunsola, expressed shock at how the prayer was turned into an outright endorsement by Obi's supporters.
In a statement released on Tuesday, December 13, Ogunsola said urged politicians to leave the palace out of their game.
“How could anybody would have in his or widest imagination assume that a presidential candidate of any political party would receive an open endorsement from a place like the palace of Olubadan? That must be a crude joke carried too far. It is preposterous to say the least.
“While discountenancing the claim of endorsement by the Olubadan Advisory Council, our politicians are counseled to please leave the palace out of their game," the statement read partly.
Olubadan does not belong to any political party, palace says
Ogunsola further reiterated that the Ibadan monarch and his cabinet members do not belong to any political party and will not endorse one candidate over another.
“For the umpteenth time, let it be emphasized that Olubadan and his cabinet members do not and cannot belong to any political party and they would never express preference for any candidate or political party in the public no matter the degree of temptation. The palace of Olubadan belongs to all just as the occupier of the exalted stool remains father of all as well," the statement added.
The monarch's media aide also appealed to Nigerians on social media to verify before rushing to share any report.
Peter Obi, Atiku or Tinubu? Former minister Oby Ezekwesili reveals her preferred presidential candidate
In another report, former education minister Dr Obiageli Ezekwesili, said there is no way she will leave the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, and vote for the other top two candidates.
According to the former minister, the top three candidates in the 2023 race can easily be rated with publicly available information.
She said her ratings of the top three contenders show the former governor of Anambra state is ahead of other contenders
Source: Legit.ng
