Yayi Endorsement By Council of Baales in Ogun West, A “Show of shame", Says NNPP

Comrade Oginni said it is against the expectations of the people from the traditional rulers and the Yoruba culture.

"It comes as a rude shock, the purported endorsement of Senator Olamilekan popularly know as Yayi by the Ogun West Baales.

"This shouldn't be true because the baales and kabiyesis are representing traditional institutions that pleaded to be respected.

"But when these occupiers of these traditional stools are now the descending so low to put themselves in the money water of politics."

It would be recalled that the Lagos-based All Progressives Congress politician, Senator Yayi has expressed his intention to run for the Ogun West Senatorial position in 2023 despite spending 20 years as a lawmaker in Lagos.

Shortly after the declaration, the Yewa Baales, numbering 300 reportedly endorsed Adeola’s move to contest for the Senate in Ogun West, thereby fueling crisis among stakeholders in the area.

The Baales (traditional community leaders) from the five Local Government Areas of Ogun West Senatorial District, reportedly endorsed Governor Dapo Abiodun’s re – election bid, while calling on Adeola to contest in order to represent Ogun West in 2023.

Reacting, the NNPP chairman described the endorsement as a “show of shame that does not befit traditional rulers."

Oginni noted that traditional rulers should be father to all irrespective of political affiliation. 

He said: "The NNPP, Ogun state chapter is hereby condemning in totality, the illegality and desperation of office of the traditional office of these baales. 

"It is highly unfortunate that the baales that are supposed to be neutral and father to all are now coming out publicly to endorse an aspirant of a political party.

"To educate the baales, may be they don't know, that in Nigeria today, we have a lot constitutionally recognised political parties. How then can a traditional leader in a community come out stupidly to support any aspirant where he supposed to be father to all. 

"We want to use this as a sign of warning especially in Ogun West to all the traditional leaders to be courteous and stop all this rascality.

"It is unacceptable and the political party in Ogun state in which I am the chairman of one of the major opposition parties in Ogun state, will not take it low on any of these people who are causing the lies."

The NNPP Chairman further stressed that the Baales are allow to exercise their franchise by joining any political party of their choice and not endorsing a candidate of a political party. 

"However, in a democratic setting, these Baales that think that they want to participate in politics order than being a traditional rulers are free to come and join us and retain their stool, retain their position and come over to join political party. There are spaces for them to be youths leader, organising secretary or even the PRO of any political party of their choice."

He however, warned that the traditional rulers should desist from bias endorsing that may cause unrest in the local metropolitan areas.

"They should stop using the traditional office, the respected office, the traditional institution of Yorubaland, they stop dragging this institution into the mud. 

"We are therefore, warning them, henceforth, to desist from intervening in a political setup by which they are just coming up to oversee the politics.

"And we are calling on all security agencies; the DSS, Intelligence Unit of the Nigeria Police, to caution these baales and traditional rulers that don't know their roles.

"Any of this rascality and crossing of line by these traditional rulers may overhead the politics and start to cause anarchy and chaos in their domains."

He also urged citizens in the state to remain conducted in their good manners for the law to sanction erring traditional rulers. 

"We are pleading to peace loving and well meaning Ogun state people and in Ogun West to remain calm and to ensure that any one of this Baales that try to cause trouble is properly handed over to the law enforcement agent for proper action."