ALLEGED PLOT TO KILL ALAAFIN LAUGHABLE – AKALA

Governor Adebayo Alao Akala of Oyo State yesterday described as laughable the assassination attempt levelled against him by the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi . Akala, who expressed shock over the allegation, wondered what could have necessitated such allegation when both of them represented different institutions.

The monarch has since petitioned President Goodluck Jonathan and the Inspector-General of Police, Ogbonna Onovo, seeking probe into the alleged assassination plot.

Alafin had in the petition claimed that the governor in collaboration with a prominent businessman in Oyo and a commander of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in the state had perfected the plot to kill him in his palace.

Oba Adeyemi further alleged that the plot failed because the collaborating senior police officer backed out of the plot at the last minute and later revealed it to him.

But Governor Akala, while speaking with journalists in Ibadan, said, 'it was true that Alaafin wrote the presidency on alleged information that I was plotting to kill him. It is also true that the presidency has raised a panel to verify the allegation. I am aware that they had visited him to substantiate the allegation. The onus is on him to prove his case.'

Speaking further, Akala said: 'The question is why Akala by the grace of God as the governor would want to kill an Alaafin, a paramount traditional ruler. I am not interested in becoming an Alaafin while Alaafin is not interested in becoming the governor. Of what benefit would the killing be to me.I don't want to jump into conclusion or preempt the findings of the presidential panel, more so since nobody has indicted me in respect of the allegation. As far as I am concerned, the allegation is laughable and unimaginable.'

Oba Adeyemi had in the petition, claimed that the plot was to be executed under the guise of seeking the arrest of suspected murderer of the late Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo, Alhaji Azeez Adegbile, on April 4 this year.

He further alleged that the plan was to invade his palace and have him and other palace residents shot in the confusion that was to ensue during the invasion, adding that the senior SARS officer involved in the plot had initially declined to participate in the plot but later agreed to play along when the governor came into the picture and offered to raise the cash reward to N10million for the operation.

Oba Adeyemi alleged that rather than carry out the plot, the police officer reported the murder plot to him, and that after personal investigation ,it was revealed that the plot was real and he decided to petition the President and the Inspector -General of Police.