The Community of Imesi Ekiti in Gbonyin Local Government Area of Ekiti State panics of the Ekiti State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Paul Omotosho of alleged complicity in the obaship tussle in the town.
The Agunsoye ruling House alleged that, Omotosho which an indigene of the town, had wanted his preferred candidate, who is a member of the APC, to occupy the vacant stool.
They made the allegation on Sunday in a statement co-signed and made available to newsmen in Ado Ekiti by the Head, Agunsoye Ruling House, Prince Adu Fasunlade and its Secretary, Prince Sesan Aladesanmi.
They stressed that Omotosho was using his influence in government to sabotage the selection processes, noting that the efforts of the kingmakers to install new monarch were being frustrated by his ‘antics’.
They accused the APC chairman of working in cahoots with some top hierarchy of the APC-led government to impose his annointed candidate on the Agunsoye Ruling House against the family’s preferred choice.
“It is quite ironic that a political appointee of Governor Kayode Fayemi, who had publicly vowed not to get involved in nor support subversion of time-tested traditional process, has been functioning in this manner.
“Omotosho has been excercising high level of undue political influence to thwart the traditional process of the new Onimesi’s selection and installation. His known goal is to force his preferred candidate, a member of the APC on the Agunsoye family and Imesi Ekiti community at large.
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“And we are disappointed that the Imesi kingmakers, with a full formed quorum, have neither met with nor interview a single candidate on the list of Ifa Oracle profiled and verified candidates forwarded to them. This delay are not unrelated the politicization of the selection and installation process.
“Hence, the Agunsoye Ruling House in Imesi Ekiti has no choice other than seek redress in the Court of Law against the Imesi kingmakers and the rule of law must be observed by all parties including the state government”, they said.
The Royal House, however, appealled Governor Fayemi to caution Omotosho and his accomplices in government to allow peace to reign and ensure due process prevail in arriving at the choice of the new monarch.
Reacting to the allegations, Omotosho described the claims as a mere fabrication and cheap blackmail lacking content of validity.
The APC Chairman warned against mischief makers to stop spreading falsehood capable of destabilizing the peaceful ambience in the community.
Omotosho said he could not indulge in any process that would truncate the enthronement of a new monarch, noting neither he nor Governor has interest in who becomes the king.
“There is no iota of truth in all the allegations. I think for Imesi-Ekiti to have a new king doesn’t has anything to do with party politics and government.
“Whoever that becomes the king is my own person. All that is important to us is the development and progress of our community. Nobody is actually influencing and I am not interested in who becomes the king.
“The fact that I am the chairman of APC in Ekiti doesn’t say I would unduly influence the enthronement of a new monarch. All I am interested is for Imesi-Ekiti to witness unprecedented development and stability”, he added.
