Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said he stands by the action he took against some Yoruba traditional rulers from Iseyin in Oke Ogun area of Oyo State last Friday when he ordered them to stand up.
Obasanjo said he would remain firm, unapologetic and uncompromising on the position that the governor of a state holds the highest office in the state.
The ex-President said this informed his order on the monarchs: e dide (stand up) at the event.
The elder statesman stated his position on the controversy his action had generated in a statement by his media aide, Kehinde Akinyemi.
Obasanjo said the position, the respect, protocol, and dignity that must be accorded the office of a governor, by virtue of the Constitution, must not be denied.
The former President stressed that to do otherwise would mean deriding the office and the Constitution.
Also, Obasanjo has denied Ms. Taiwo Martins, the mother of two of his children – Jonwo and Bunmi – and who he accused of claiming to be his wife.
The ex-President described Ms. Martins as an impostor, saying nobody makes a statement on behalf of his family except himself or people he delegates to do so.
He urged Nigerians to take note of the state of health of Ms. Martins and ignore her statement of apology purportedly issued by her on behalf of the Obasanjo 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 (it is pertinent) to say emphatically that she is not his wife or a member of the Obasanjo family.
“Her posturing as Chief Obasanjo’s wife is false and that of an impostor. Nobody makes a 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.”
(The Nation)