From Lateef Dada, Osogbo
Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, and the media aide to the former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, who is now the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Ismail Omipidan, have traded blame over who presented staff of office to Alawo of Awo, Oba Taiwo Adegboye.
In a statement by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, Adeleke debunked the rumour that he is planning to issue a fresh staff of office to the monarch in contravention of the Appeal Court judgment.
Adeleke explained that the monarch was installed as the Alawo of Awo in September 2021 and was subsequently issued staff of office by the administration of Oyetola, Omipidan challenged the governor’s spokesperson to produce any material evidence to support his claim that Oyetola issued the staff of office.
“We are constrained to inform the public that insinuations of the plan by the Adeleke administration to issue fresh staff of office on Awo stool are untrue. The crisis on the Awo stool preceded the administration of Governor Adeleke as Taiwo Adegboye, who is at the center of the issue, was installed as Alawo several months before his (Adeleke) assumption of office.
“It is worth noting that he (Taiwo Adegboye) was issued staff of office by the previous administration, and so, it is unfounded that Adeleke is planning to issue a staff of office that has already been issued,” Rasheed said.
Omipidan stated that he has it on good authority that Governor Adeleke and not Oyetola signed the certificate being paraded by the Alawo against a legal opinion from government officials.
“While it is true that Taiwo Adegboye was appointed during the Oyetola’s administration, the moment the court nullified his appointment, the government stayed the action. That was why his official coronation was never carried out until we left the office. Therefore, my principal never signed any document nor issued him a staff of office. If there is, I challenge the government to produce the same.
“If indeed, Governor Adeleke has respect for due process and the rule of law, how come the government is unable to carry out the judgment of the court with regards to the Alawo stool? In the eyes of the law, the current occupant is a usurper and the government should treat him as such rather than trying to pass the buck, which unfortunately has become the pastime of the present administration.
“Oyetola is no longer the governor. How come you still want to hold him responsible for an action that was carried out in the last year of the current administration? I advise Olawale Rasheed and his ilks to stop lying against the person of Oyetola, as he did not issue any staff of office to the Alawo,” Omipidan said.