Warrant Chiefs who voted for the new Owa of Igbajo-elect, Dr Ademola Makinde have denied allegations by the Osun State Chairman of All Progressive Congress (APC) that they collected money to vote, describing the allegations as a defamation of character and an evil concoction from the pit of hell.
In a statement signed by the warrants chiefs, reads:
“The APC chairman or whoever wrote that release for him must have drunk ‘ogogoro’ or over-smoke weed which gave them the temerity to issue such a lie. They may have woken up on the wrong side of their bed.
“We took no money from anybody. We accepted the appointment as warrant chiefs because it was in line with the law. The law provides that where traditional kingmakers refused to perform their role, the local authority is free to appoint warrant chiefs.
The traditional chiefs were invited by the local authority to start the nomination process, but they refused and the local authority appointed warrant chiefs. It is perfectly within the law to do that.
And as to why the selection was done at Osogbo, it was due to mobilization of thugs by Prince Famodun. They were threatening to kill us. The people of Igbajo now advised us not to allow bloodshed.
“So we wrote and inform Chairman of Boluwaduro East Local government to do the selection process at the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs ,Osogbo on the ground that the some thugs who are loyal to Prince Famoodun and APC are threatening to kill us if we dare vote another person again except Prince Famoodun.
“The thugs threatened that they must not do it in Igbajo and that if they did it they would kill them and they discovered that their lives were in serious danger. That is why we chose to do it in Osogbo.
Since we selected Prince Makinde, Igbajo has been peaceful and peace will continue to reign in our town. We thanked the government and leaders and residents of Igbajo for their support and understanding.
“We want to assure the public that we voted for Prince (Dr.) Ademola Makinde for the progress and development of the ancient town of Igbajo in Boluwaduro East Local Government Area of Osun State. We voted in line with our conscience and without any inducement”, the Warrant Chiefs noted a statement jointly signed by them.
