One of the contestants to the throne of Alaafin of Oyo in Oyo State, Prince Siyanbola Oladigbolu, has denied reports that he had withdrawn from the race, saying that he cannot be blackmailed out of the royal contest.
In a statement sent to LEADERSHIP on Thursday personally signed by Om’Oba Siyanbola, he noted that he only visited Oyo Town recently to socialise with the people but not to meet the Kingmakers (Oyomesi) to back out of the race as being insinuated by his opponents.
“It has come to my notice that some monumental liars have leveraged on my last visit to Oyo to fabricate lies that I went to the kingmakers to withdraw from the race of becoming the new Alaafin of Oyo.
“Let me state it here clearly that there was nothing like that ; I only went home to visit my people as I always do on regular basis, I did not visit any member of the Oyomesi (the Kingmakers).
“Only for me to get back to my base, and started receiving calls from well wishers asking me if what they heard was true.
“After seeing the people I visited, my protocol officer, who is also a Muslim, suggested that we should observe jumat service before hitting the road because we might not meet up jumat on transit.
“Then, after the jumat service, the security convoy drove down to my father’s Islamic college at Oke Agunpopo and from there back to my base. I never visited anyone who has anything to do with the selection of the incoming Alaafin.
“It was a strategy to water down my chances, and believe me, the strategy is D.O.A (Dead on Arrival).
“They even went further, saying I must have been settled with funds after withdrawing from the race, all these are untrue.
“No one should ever think of buying me off the race to ascend my Forefathers’ throne. No amount, I repeat, no amount of Money can make me to step-down for any of the co-contestants,” Prince Oladigbolu stated.
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