PDP members report Ekiti monarch to IGP

Dapo Falade, Ado-Ekiti - 06.01.2008

Some members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Are-Ekiti, in Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area of Ekiti State, have called on the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Mike Okiro, to save them from an alleged harassment and intimidation by the Alare of Are-Ekiti, Oba Jacob Boluwade Adebiyi.

Addressing a press conference in Ado-Ekiti on Saturday over some developments in the town, the aggrieved PDP members deplored the royal father’s alleged involvement in partisan politics, alleging that he was the arrowhead of the violence that rocked the town during the last ward congress.

But speaking with newsmen on telephone, Oba Adebiyi denied the allegation, affirming that his royal position can never allow him to be involved in politics, adding that he had never been involved in politics since mounting the traditional stool either as a politician or as a voter.

The PDP members from Are Ward were led by Mrs Oluremi Anisulowo- Fadipe, a board member of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), who claimed that the monarch had issued instructions that her head be cut off following a disagreement she had with him over the political affairs of the community.

Mrs Fadipe urged the Police High Command to invite all the parties in the town to Abuja, including the traditional ruler to state all they know about the protracted crisis rocking the community over the PDP congress.

Other local PDP chieftains from Are Ward who all confirmed Oba Adebiyi’s deep involvement in politics included Mr. Gabriel Olaofe, Mr. Ololade Olofinniyi, Mr. Ayo Anisulowo, Ms Idowu Babalola and Mr. Afolabi Anisulowo.

An elected party delegate from the town, Mr. Toba Babalola, corroborated Mrs. Fadipe’s claim as he told newsmen that he stood by his earlier claim that Oba Adebiyi instructed thugs to inflict bodily injuries on him shortly after returning from the local government congress held in Igede- Ekiti, the local government headquarters.

Stating that although the monarch was not in town when the hoodlums allegedly beat him to pulp, he alleged that the monarch had reportedly left instructions for the thugs to carry out the attack, adding that when the monarch returned from his trip, he sent for him and he was ordered to remove his clothes and shoes while the palace guards unleashed a reign of terror on him.

Toba’s elder sister, Idowu, also said that the monarch ordered that she should leave Are-Ekiti immediately, adding that they had petitioned the IGP over the matter when the traditional ruler allegedly claimed that reporting the matter to the Ekiti State police command would amount to a waste of time as he was highly connected in the state.

But the Alare, Oba Adebiyi, said that Babalola was beaten by some youths of the town for his alleged involvement in the vandalisation of a car belonging to the Special Assistant (Public Communications) to the Deputy Governor, Mr Joseph Ogunsemi, who is also from Are-Ekiti.

The royal father said he had to intervene to prevent Babalola from being lynched by the irate youths expressing surprise why his name was mentioned in the matter, adding that his main duty was in the administration of the community as the Oba and had never been involved in partisan politics.

“Whoever that is on the negative side will always have negative stories to tell outside. If two people are quarrelling, you bring the two together and thrash it out. Whoever that is at fault and takes the blame in the palace and when he gets out of the palace, he will be telling negative stories.

“By all standards, I am not a politician and even by my position I can never be one again. When I began making enquiries, the boy (Babalola) confessed that he is being used and his parents have come to beg me in the palace and as a father, I need to show forgiving spirit because I am a Christian, apart from being a royal father,” he said.

Reacting to Mrs Fadipe’s claim, Oba Adebiyi said that she was leading the campaign against him because the FERMA top shot accused him of supporting her cousin, Chief Dipo Anisulowo who was nursing the ambition of becoming the state chairman of the PDP, adding that she was interested in the same position.

When contacted, the Ekiti State Commissioner of Police, Mr Yomi Onashile, denied knowledge of the crisis, saying no petition had been forwarded to his office to that effect, but promised to launch a thorough investigation into the matter.