MIMIKO CONFIRMS ADESIDA AS NEW DEJI

By NBF News

The new Deji of Akure, Adebiyi Adesida, Ondo State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Ali Olanusi and Commissioner for Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr. Diran Iyantan during the presentation of Letter of Appointment to Adesida at the Governor's Office in Akure on Thursday.

History was yesterday made as the Ondo State Government endorsed the appointment of Prince Adebiyi Adesida as the new Deji of Akure. His appointment was sequel to the result of the election forwarded by the Akure South Local Government to the state government.

The council was saddled with the responsibility of working hand in hand with the kingmakers to select a new king for the town. The result of the election was the outcome of the votes cast by the 16 traditional kingmakers.

It was conducted among the kingmakers and showed vividly that Prince Adebiyi Adesida came victorious with eight votes, while Prince Ademola Adegoroye came second with seven votes.

However, one of the kingmakers, it was gathered did not vote because of his old age.

The decision not to allow him to vote it was gathered was agreed upon by all the kingmakers at the venue of the exercise. While addressing reporters yesterday, the state Commissioner for Information, Mr. Ranti Akerele said the report submitted to the executive council by the Secretary to the Akure Local Government, who supervised voting by the 15 kingmakers, indicated that Prince Adebiyi Adesida scored eight votes while Prince Ademola Adegoroye scored seven votes.

According to him, Prince Adesida emerged from the candidates nominated by the Ojijigogun Ruling House, whose turn was to produce the new Deji, stressing that his election was in conformity with the Chiefs Law of Ondo State 1991. He noted that government did not interfere in the selection process, stressing that the candidate emerged through the votes of the kingmakers.

His words: 'Government was not interested in any candidate, all government was interested in was the sustenance of peaceful co-existence among the people of Akure.' Akerele urged people to disregard any other information about the selection exercise, saying that the state government was the only one allowed by the law to announce the approval of the selection of an Oba.

He said the government had done this after going through the report of the Secretary to the Akure South Local Government who was empowered by the Chiefs Law to report the outcome of the selection process to the government. But the announcement of Prince Biyi Adegoroye was rejected by some kingmakers who accused the state government of manipulating the outcome of the kingmakers' election.

Speaking on behalf of the kingmakers, the Odopetu of Akure, High Chief Falade said the result of the election was shrewd in controversy, stating that the voting pattern showed that Prince Ademola Adegoroye emerged victorious. He noted that the result was not announced at the venue of election, accusing the secretary of the Akure North Local Government of running away with the result of the kingmakers' election.

Chief Falade added that the nine kingmakers would not hesitate to challenge the result as announced by the state government. His words: 'What the state government declared was not in line with state edit. It has always been the prerogative of the kingmakers to announce the result of the voting and later forwarded to the state government. 'What the Mimiko-led government has just done is illegal. This is a government that benefited from the rule of law and is now bending the rule to favour his candidate.'

The Deji's stool became vacant on June 10 when the former Monarch, Oluwadare Adepoju was deposed by the state government for beating one of his queens in the public. The Ojijigogun Ruling House had shortlisted nine candidates for the vacant stool before the emergence of Prince Biyi Adesida.