The Olubadan Palace has dissociated itself from the purported endorsement of Joseph Tegbe, a senatorial aspirant in Oyo State by Prince Femi Balogun, the first son of the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Lekan Balogun.
The Olubadan Palace also frowned on what it called the dragging of the throne into the unguarded visit and pronouncement by a member of the royal family.
Olubadan’s son was reported to have visited Tegbe who is contesting for the South Senatorial District of Oyo State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party on Sunday.
Tegbe’s purported endorsement was described as a private and personal action by the prince wothout any bearing with the Palace.
A statement made available by the Olubadan Palace, through Oladele Ogunsola, media aide to Oba Balogun, on Monday, read, “The purported visitation of Femi Balogun, son of Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun, to his school mate and a politician in the state, Mr. Olasunkanmi Tegbe, is a private and personal affair of Femi and has no blessings of the Olubadan palace.
“Femi, the Aremo Olubadan, was alleged to have endorsed the senatorial ambition of Tegbe during the visit, a position which is at variance with that of the Aliiwo Dynasty where the current Olubadan hails from.
“The Palace distances itself from the purported visit and endorsement of Tegbe by Femi and condemns such in view of the fact that the Aliiwo Dynasty, which today sits on Ibadan throne, also has a son who currently serves as senator in the same senatorial district in person of Senator Kola Balogun and who still wishes to serve another term.
“As much as nobody can prevent Femi, being an adult, from holding a personal political view, the Palace frowns at the dragging of the exalted throne into such personal and unguarded visit and endorsement by a member of the family using the name of Olubadan.
“For avoidance of doubt, the palace wishes to let the public know that Femi was not sent on such an errand and nobody in the palace would dare do such because Olubadan remains the father of all.
“From all intent and purposes, he was on his own and his purported message carries no blessings of the Olubadan palace.”
