Mohammed Shosanya
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo,says he remains unapologetic an uncompromising on the position he took against the Obas during the commissioning of a project in Iseyin local government area of Oyo State.
He had commanded traditional rulers at the event to stand up and sit down, maintaining that they must respect the constituted authorities.
He justified his position in a statement signed by his media aide, Kehinde Akinyemi,
Obasanjo’s action has drawn criticism from in Yorubaland where monarchs are held in high esteem.
The statement said: “However, the former President has affirmed that he stood firmly, unapologetically and uncompromisingly on the position that the Governor of a State holds the highest office in the State.
“By that position, the respect, protocol and dignity that must be given to the office by virtue of the Constitution must not be denied. To do otherwise is to deride the office and the constitution.”
He also disowned one Ms Taiwo Martins who claimed to be the wife of the former President in a statement apologising for the widely condemned conduct of the former President against Oyo Obas last week.
According to the statement,Ms Martis has two children for Chief Obasanjo, adding that she’s not a wife nor a member of Obasanjo’s family.
The former President maintained that the posture of Martins is that of an impostor, adding further that her her state he health is known to all and sundry and that’s whatever she says doesn’t represent Obasanjo or the family.
The statement said:”The attention of former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has been drawn to a statement purported to be issued by a wife of the President with the photograph of one Ms. Taiwo Martins as the author of the statement.
“For the records, Ms. Martins has two children, Jonwo and Bunmi, for Chief Obasanjo but to say emphatically that she is not his wife nor a member of the Obasanjo family.
“Her posturing as Chief Obasanjo’s wife is false and that of an impostor. Nobody makes statement on behalf of the Obasanjo family except Chief Obasanjo or people delegated by him to do so.
“It must be noted that the state of health of Ms. Martins is known to all and sundry and whatever she says or does has nothing to do with Chief Obasanjo as an individual or the Obasanjo family as a whole.”