Daud Olatunji
Seventeen traditional rulers from Yewa North Local Government in Ogun State have endorsed Dr. Olusola Akinbode, the All Progressives Congress (APC) chairmanship candidate.
The endorsement was announced after a reconciliation meeting held on Wednesday, at the palace of the Abepa of Joga-Orile.
The meeting, aimed at fostering reconciliation and cohesion within the APC ranks, was facilitated by the Eselu of Eselu, Oba Akinyemi Akintunde.
Speaking at the event, Oba Akinyemi explained the purpose of the gathering, emphasizing the need to prevent political divisions among the subjects of Yewa North.
“The purpose of this meeting is for reconciliation and harmonization of our subjects under the APC platform. We have called everyone together to avoid misunderstandings among our people for political reasons,” Oba Akinyemi stated.
“These are Yewa North Obas—reputable traditional rulers of our land. We don’t want any form of discord that could jeopardize the strength of our community.”
In his address, Oba Akinyemi praised Dr. Olusola as a candidate with a promising manifesto, reflecting the values and ambitions of Yewa North.
He expressed satisfaction with the decision to support his candidacy, noting that the endorsement came after careful consideration of the candidate’s plans and vision for the community.
“We need to be sure of what he is bringing to the table as a critical stakeholder in this local government.
“With what we have seen, he has a good plan, and I think he is well-prepared,” Oba Akinyemi continued.
“Today, I am pleased to say that everyone here has vowed collectively to work hand-in-hand for the victory of Dr. Olusola Akinbode.”
Oba Akinyemi highlighted the importance of a united front in the upcoming election, stating that “Yewa North is a symbol in the whole of Ogun West in terms of politics and the quality of its traditional rulers.”
He added, “We must leave no stone unturned to achieve success. We want to win this election convincingly because you can only win when the candidate is popular among the people.”
Echoing these sentiments, Oba Adeyemi Adekeye, the Abepa of Joga-Orile and chairman of the traditional council in the local government, reaffirmed the support of the entire council for Dr. Olusola.
“In Yewa North, we are 17 Obas, and 10 of us are present here today. Some of our fellow Obas, due to age, could not make it, but they are fully informed and stand behind Dr. Olusola Akinbode,” he stated.
“They came to us for blessings, and we have given him our full support.”
Also speaking, Dr. Olusola Akinbode, who also attended the meeting, expressed gratitude for the royal endorsement.
“This meeting demonstrates to all of Ogun State, Nigeria, and the world that Yewa North is united.
“We stand as one party under the APC, and all aspirants alongside my candidacy are united,” Dr. Olusola declared.
“I came here to seek royal blessings from our revered Kabiye’s, and I am deeply honored by their endorsement.”
He further added, “This isn’t a case where anyone was coerced. As they say, ‘You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.
’ The aspirants and I came together willingly, in a spirit of unity. We recognize that, out of many contenders, one must emerge, and I’m humbled by their collective support.”