The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III has said the Governor of Oyo State, Abiola Ajimobi, could be the next Senate President of Nigeria if elected at the poll to represent Oyo South Senatorial District.
Alaafin, on Thursday, at a stakeholders’ forum in Ibadan attended by the governor and All Progressives Congress (APC) members, explained that he was supporting Adebayo Adelabu, the APC Oyo governorship candidate because he was a product of consensus among the elders and leaders of the land.
Ajimobi is the APC candidate for Oyo South senatorial district.
Oba Adeyemi, also said that he was confident Ajimobi would win, adding that as a ranking senator, “his victory could pave the way for him to emerge as the next Senate President,” which, he said would be to the advantage of the state.
Alaafin said, “I once went to the governor with 30 royal fathers. The Iba of Kisi (Oba Moshood Lawal) who is here seated can bear witness to this. I asked the governor to tell me his preferred candidate among the aspirants.
“But, the governor replied that nobody was good enough to succeed him except somebody that God had ordained. He said he was still consulting. That only God knows the best person that would promote the interest of Oyo State.
“He tasked us (royal fathers) to also look for somebody for him. But I declined and told him that we would not be able to do that since we were not politicians. But, I advised him to consult widely before making his choice public.
“I told him that if the person will not serve the corporate interest of Oyo State we will tell you and if the person is capable we will equally tell you. But after going through this process if your successor begins to serve narrow interests he will not spend more than two years before incurring our wrath.
“We will take such person’s case to God. Then the governor started reeling out names of the aspirants, asking for my opinion about each of them. But, I still declined to assess any of them and told him that he should be the one to do his homework very well.
“I equally told him to consult the elders and other stakeholders across the land to guide him before naming anybody. I asked you (Ajimobi) to make your choice and hand him over to us. You did so and we have accepted him. May you never to be put to shame.”
