The Orangun of Ila in Osun State, Oba Wahab Oyedotun, has dismissed claims that he endorsed any candidate for the forthcoming Osun State governorship election, saying he remains politically neutral.
Speaking at his palace in Ila-Orangun on Sunday, the monarch explained that many of his subjects belong to different political parties, making it inappropriate for him to support one candidate over another. He stressed that his priority is the development of Ila-Orangun rather than partisan politics.
Oba Oyedotun’s clarification followed a statement by the Osun State Commissioner for Information, Kolapo Alimi, claiming that a delegation of Ila-Orangun High Chiefs had conveyed the monarch’s support for Governor Ademola Adeleke’s re-election. The statement also said the community distanced itself from Senator Olubiyi Fadeyi’s defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Rejecting the claim, the monarch said he never authorised anyone to endorse a candidate on his behalf. He urged traditional rulers across Yorubaland to remain focused on promoting development in their communities, noting that politicians from different parties remain subjects of the same traditional institutions.
Oba Oyedotun also clarified that Senator Olubiyi Fadeyi, who represents Osun Central Senatorial District and hails from Ila-Orangun, remains a respected son of the town and continues to enjoy his support.
