The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun, on Tuesday denied endorsing Peter Obi, the presidential flag-bearer of the Labour Party for the 2023 election.
Within Nigeria recall that Obi on Saturday visited the Olubadan at his Alarere residence.
Earlier reports claimed that the former Anambra State governor ‘got royal endorsement’.
But in a statement by the palace, the monarch, a former Senator, declared that he “would never express preference for any candidate or political party in the public no matter the degree of temptation”.
“How could anybody would have in his or widest imagination assume that a presidential candidate of any political party would receive an open endorsement from a place like the palace of Olubadan? That must be a crude joke carried too far. It is preposterous to say the least,” the statement said.
“While discountenancing the claim of endorsement by the Olubadan Advisory Council, our politicians are counseled to please leave the palace out of their game.
“The campaign is just starting and the visits to the palaces are part of the itinerary of the candidates and how would they feel should the gates of palaces be locked against them?
“For the umpteenth time, let it be emphasized that Olubadan and his cabinet members do not and cannot belong to any political party and they would never express preference for any candidate or political party in the public no matter the degree of temptation. The palace of Olubadan belongs to all.”