The Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, has reiterated that he has no special interest in who becomes the Ogoga of Ikere-Ekiti and that he will not impose any candidate on the town.
Fayose stated this when some elders of the town, led by Chief Olusola Bayode, called on him on Monday at the Governor’s Office, Ado-Ekiti.
According to a press statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Idowu Adelusi, and made available to the press, the Ikere-Ekiti elders had implored Fayose to annul the selection of Prince Jimi Adu and order fresh selection process.
They claimed Adu was from Oke Ikere Quarters and not a ruling house and that an Ogoga could not come from there.
They also told the governor that by Ikere tradition, the candidate for the Ogoga title could only come from Iro Quarter and that the selection of Adu was an aberration.
However, Fayose told the delegation that he had no interest in who becomes the new Ogoga, saying that he did not want to meddle in what did not concern him.
He said his role as governor was limited to the installation and presentation of Staff of Office to the king.
He said the selection of candidate for the vacant position was the duty of the kingmakers.
The governor said: “I have no attachment to anybody.
“I don’t have candidate.
“I don’t want to meddle in Ikere Obaship.
“I won’t impose new Ogoga.
“I don’t want to be seen as inconsistent.
“I must be fair and be seen to be so by everybody.”
On the request that he should annul the selection of Adu and order fresh selection process, Fayose said he could not do that because he was not a court of law.
The governor said only the court could look into the merit or otherwise of their complaints, but he appealed to the Ikere community to give peace a chance and allow the town to have a new king.