Kingmakers in Oyo Town, on Friday, rejected Governor Seyi Makinde’s appointment of Prince Abimbola Owoade as the new Alaafin of Oyo.
The governor had earlier on Friday approved Owoade’s appointment as the new Alaafin of Oyo, almost three years after the death of Oba Lamidi Adeyemi.
The kingmakers, in a letter signed by their legal representative Adekunle Sobalolu, and addressed to the governor, declared the appointment of Owoade as illegal and unlawful.
The kingmakers claimed they never recommended Owoade to the government at any time.
They insisted the only person recommended on September 30, 2022, by the majority of the kingmakers’ lawful votes as the next Alaafin was Prince Lukman Gbadegesin.
The five kingmakers opposing the governor’s appointment of the new Alaafin are the Bashorun of Oyo, High Chief Yusuf Layinka; the Lagunna of Oyo, High Chief Wakeel Oyedepo, and the Akinniku of Oyo, High Chief Hamzat Yusuf.
The remaining two are Chief Wahab Oyetunji, the warrant chief standing in for Asipa of Oyo, and Chief Gbadebo Mufutau, the warrant chief standing in for Alapinní of Oyo.
The letter read: “Prince Lukman Adelodun Gbadegesin, having obtained the majority of votes of the kingmakers present, was deemed appointed and his name was forwarded to Your Excellency as the candidate appointed by the kingmakers as Alaafin of Oyo for your approval, which you refused to approve for no disclosed reason at all.
“The kingmakers thereafter filed an action to stop Your Excellency from truncating the process, which culminated in the present appeal at the Court of Appeal.”