The Awujale and Paramount ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, on Thursday, made it explicitly clear to President Goodluck Jonathan that neither him (Adetona) nor any other monarch in Ijebuland should be expected to campaign for Jonathan in respect of the rescheduled March 28 Presidential election.
Adetona said any monarch who took the path of seeking to persuade the people to go in one way or another over the forthcoming general elections which he described as being “full of tension,” would surely bring “trouble” upon himself.
He advised the President Jonathan to sell his achievements and programmes to the Ijebus by himself, explaining that he had already told his subjects – whether Christians and Muslims, to act wisely and never to vote for corrupt politicians (ojelus).
Adetona said: “in Ijebu here, it is not possible for any Oba, not even in Ijebu, in Yorubaland, to go out and say vote for this, vote for that, that person is looking for trouble, but give them the opportunity to present their programme so that people can make up their minds on what to do.
“I think this is a very sound democratic principle and that is what I have decided to do, to give you the opportunity of meeting with thepeople.
“Once, they see you as a person, how beautiful you are, whether to engage with you or not, to listen to you and see if there are areas where we can meet, as a result, everybody congregating here, they belong to different groups.
“They are PDP member, APC member, APGA, they belong to various interests, and when they come, they get to the gate, and they shed their togas.
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