Femi Ogbonnika in Abeokuta
Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has said the setting up of a committee to review the appointment and promotion of 75 traditional rulers by former Governor Ibikunle Amosun was not to either score cheap political points or undermine the former governor.
Abiodun described the action of the former governor as unprecedented in the history of traditional council in the state.
He stated this yesterday during the inauguration of the chieftaincy review committee led by the Olu and paramount ruler of Yewaland , Oba Kehinde Olugbenle.
The governor had suspended all the 75 Obas appointed and promoted by Amosun’s government and had set up a review committee to look into the cases to discover whether their emergence and promotion passed through a normal procedure or not.
Addressing the committee members after the inauguration, Abiodun gave the assurance that his administration would not allow any form of assault on the traditional institution or its value.
He said his government placed a very high premium on the traditional institution and acknowledged the invaluable roles and contributions it plays in promoting good governance at the grassroots.
He decried what he called the unprecedented approval, appointment and upgrade of some chiefs and Baales to coronet Obas, which he said generated reactions from the traditional institution and members of the public.
He added that setting up the committee was to address the alleged anomalies.
He said, “Recall that the last administration approved the appointments and upgrade of some chieftaincy at the tail end of their administration, notable among these appointments was the upgrade of some Baales to coronet Obas, which is unprecedented in the history of our traditional institution in the state.
“The setting up of this committee should not be seen as an exercise to score cheap political points or undermine anyone. But rather, it should be seen as a token of the seriousness our administration will continue to ascribe to the traditional institution.”
