A group of indigenes of Afijio Local Government, in the Oyo Federal Constituency, Isokan Afijio, has condemned what it termed overt measures by members of the Afijio Traditional Council to unilaterally endorse Governor Seyi Makinde, and Prince Deji Oparinde, coining same as if it were the joint decision of stakeholders in the Local Government Area.
Describing the move as unacceptable, especially as it is being done under the auspices of the Local Government’s Traditional Council, rather than in the individual capacities of the promoters, thus giving the whole world the impression that the endorsement and mobilisation was a collective decision, Isokan Afijio said it would mobilize its members spread across the length and breadth of the Local Government, to resist any form of imposition, and to allow voters exercise their franchise freely, without fear, let or hinderance.
In a release signed by the group’s President, Engr. Adekunle Adedotun and Secretary, Barrister Bimbo Bashir, and released to newsmen on Monday, 6 March, 2023 Isokan Afijio wondered why members of a respectable institution like the Traditional Council would descend so low into the murky waters of partisan politics, capable of soiling their squeaky clean white attires, and rubbishing their enviable statuses as fathers of all and custodians of the people’s culture, values and traditions.
“We felt terribly embarrassed reading a viral statement from our royal fathers endorsing the candidature of Governor Seyi Makinde, and that of Prince Deji Oparinde, for the forthcoming Governorship/State Assembly polls.
“If the endorsement had stopped alone at Prince Oparinde, unfair as it was, we would’ve understood it was a case of class support, his father being the Akinbio of Ilora, although that still would’ve been patently unjust, as other candidates are also sons of the land, but extending that courtesy to a sitting governor, whose re-election hangs in the balance, and performance bang average, is a venture too risky.
“The question is, what if the Governor loses his re-election, what will our fathers, who’ve shown their biased support for him tell the incoming government they needlessly spurned? What special benefit have our lands received from the Makinde Government, worthy of this unimaginable risk, and to which we must put our heads to the guillotine for?
“We, therefore, urge our royal fathers, all of whom we have the greatest respect for, to stay away from partisanship, but rather encourage our people to go out and cast their ballots, as that’s a civic responsibility. As men of honour, whose tenure is untimed, the only honourable duty our forefathers expect of them, is to be vanguards of peace, progress and prosperity of our various towns, and not bag-carriers of a politician with a tenured term,” the statement said.
Isokan Afijio then called on the people of Awe, Akinmoorin, Fiditi, Ilora, Imini, Jobele, Iware, Ilu Aje, Oluwatedo and Ojutaye, to go about their routine activities peacefully, and to come out on Saturday, 11 March, 2023 to vote whomsoever they wish, contrary to ongoing speculation that the entire local government is behind any candidate, on the strength of an unacceptable decision by members of the council’s traditional institution.
