The leadership of The Imole Campaign Council, the group leading the re-election campaign of Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, on Friday visited the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, to seek royal blessings before formally commencing its electioneering campaign activities.
The campaign council led by the former Peoples Democratic Party National Secretary, Prof Wale Oladipo, who chairs the group, had sought the monarch’s blessing before starting it campaign activities.
Oladipo, who was joined by the state Deputy Governor, Kola Adewusi; Deputy Minority Leader of the Senate, Senator Lere Oyewumi; the lawmaker representing Ede North, Ede South, Egbedore and Ejigbo Federal Constituency, Bamidele Salam; and Commissioner for Information, Mr Kolapo Alimi, expressed commitment to a peaceful electioneering campaign.
Ogunwusi, while receiving the campaign team in his palace in Ile-Ife, charged politicians and their supporters in the state to shun violence and embrace peace ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
Ogunwusi said Osun is bigger than any individual or political interest, urging politicians across all divides to avoid hate speech and actions capable of destabilising the state.
“I am appealing to politicians and their followers to shun violence. The whole world is watching Osun, and we must show them that we are peace-loving people.
“Osun is bigger than any political party or person, and we must ensure that our actions do not disturb the peace of the state. We should not fight ourselves. God is the only one who enthrone,” the monarch said.
In his remarks, Prof Oladipo explained that the Imole Campaign Council was not interested in violence, adding that “I am going to appeal to everyone, especially the people on the other side. In the Adeleke camp, which I have the honour of leading, we don’t believe in violence, and we are going to ensure a violence-free campaign.
“We want peace in the land. It is through peace that development can come. Election is not a do-or-die affair, and we should allow the people to choose whoever they want. If you look at the infrastructural development that Governor Adeleke has brought to our city — the flyover, the roads under construction and those already completed, he has done so well.”
Earlier, the campaign Director General of the council, Oyewumi said the team had visited Oba Ogunwusi to seek royal blessing before commencing Adeleke’s reelection campaign.
Oyewumi further said, “As cultured men, we know it is very important to come to the source and seek the royal blessing of the Ooni of Ife before we set out so that our journey will be fruitful.
“We are set to move out to start talking to people about the election programmes of Senator Ademola Adeleke. We are assuring Ife people that the governor will not disappoint them.”
Electorate in Osun State will be going to the poll on August 15 to elect a new governor and apprehension has been growing on the likelihood of violence derailing the poll.
The state has been witnessing frequent violent clashes involving supporters of Accord and the All Progressives Congress, the two leading parties in the state.