Olu Samuel, Lokoja

The Kogi State government has shed more lights on the imbroglio between it and the Paramount ruler of Ebiraland,Dr Ado Ibrahim saying that the Monarch was merely asked why he has deliberately refused to grace the visit of the president, Major General Muhammadu Buhari when he visited the state to commision Bellos legacy projects.

As statement issued on Monday evening by the state Commissioner for Local Governnent and Chieftaincy Affairs , Barrister Salami Momodu Deedat Ozigi stated that since the Royal father has decided to make the matter which otherwise would have been private a public one,the state government therefore has a duty to brief the general public on the issuance of the query.

The Commissioner explained the Royal father flagrantly refused to receive the Presidential at the newly renovated and befitting official palace chosen instead to remain in his personal house.

The statement read “It has become highly imperative to brief the general public on the issues surrounding the issuance of letter of query to His Royal Majesty, Alh. Dr. Ado Ibrahim CON, the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland.

This is because, what ordinarily should have been an official process has been made public by the recipient of the query and as such the public deserve to be abreast with the truth and isolate it from falsehood.”

The Commissioner said that “the reconstructed palace of Ohinoyi of Ebiraland which was commissioned by the President and Commander-in-Chief of Nigerian Armed Forces has all along been the official palace/residence of successive Ohinoyi of Ebiraland”.

According to him “It is on record that when President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR visited Okene in the year 1984 as a Military Head of State, it was in the same palace that he was received by the then Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, late Alh. Sanni Omolori. The palace has been remodeled and reconstructed to a magnificent edifice that every son and daughter of Ebiraland could be proud of”.

However, he said that “the current Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, His Royal Majesty, Alh. Dr. Ado Ibrahim CON opted, on his own, chose to stay in his personal house and use it as a palace, that does not erase the fact that there is an official palace built over the years for Ohinoyi of Ebiraland.

He explained that when the idea to reconstruct the palace to make it befitting for the revered stool of Ohinoyi of Ebiraland was muted, he (Ohinoyi of Ebiraland) was sufficiently consulted and he gave his consent.
“Upon the completion of the project which has received commendation from far and wide and the date for the commissioning by the President was approved and announced, I personally paid a visit to Ohinoyi of Ebiraland and I duly informed him of the programe of event. Although he responded negatively that he would not attend, I persuaded and entreated him to kindly attend in view of the importance of the project and especially the personality of the President that would commission the project.
It is now known to all sundry that he made good his negative disposition not on any account of ill health or circumstances beyond his control, but a deliberate act of disloyalty and insubordination to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Executive Governor of the State”. He added.

According to him,”It may interest the public to know that the official visit of Mr President to Kogi State to commission projects was not limited to Okene alone, sundry projects were commissioned by the President in Lokoja, the State capital. To this effect, the President, Kogi State Council of Chiefs, His Royal Majesty, Matthew Alaji Opaluwa Oguche Akpa, Attah Igala led other Royal Majesties and all 1st Class Chiefs from both East and West Senatorial Districts and from their far domains to receive the President at the designated venue in Lokoja.
It is therefore left for the public to judge if it was fair and appropriate for His Royal Majesty, the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, whose private residence is a few meters away from the venue of the commissioning of the palace and being the principal beneficiary of the project to stay put in his house while all the Graded Chiefs within the Central Senatorial District were present in solidarity with him to honour and receive the President.”

“The Government of His Excellency, Alh. Yahaya Bello is a responsive and responsible Government and will not allow any person or group of persons no matter how highly placed to ridicule, humiliate and cast aspersion on or disdain the genuine intention of this administration to usher unprecedented development in the State. Actions that are tailored towards disloyalty, insubordination and that which tends to affect the peace, security, good image and cohesion of the State will not be treated with levity. This administration will continue to ensure that this State is governed by the rule of law, respect for authority and humanity and the guarantee of equal rights for all citizens.
Let the general public be rest assured that Government will handle this matter with utmost objectivity devoid of any sentiment.” He added.