Obasanjo disowns self-acclaimed wife who apologised to Oyo monarchs

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has rejected calls for him to apologise to the traditional rulers he ordered to stand on their feet during an event in Oyo last Friday. 

Obasanjo had commanded the traditional rulers in Iseyin, Oyo State, to stand up as a sign of respect to Governor Seyi Makinde.

The incident occurred during the commissioning of the Iseyin campus of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, LAUTECH, Ogbomoso.

Some Yoruba leaders have demanded an apology from Obasanjo to the traditional rulers within seven days.

However, Obasanjo said he has no reason to recant his statement or action as constitution gave governors power over the royal fathers.

Speaking through his media aide, Kehinde Akinyemi, Obasanjo “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.”

Reacting to the apology issued on Sunday by his self-acclaimed wife, Taiwo Martins, the statement disowned the ‘wife’, saying that she is not his wife or a member of the Obasanjo family.

He said: “For the records, Ms. Martins has two children, Jonwo and Bunmi, for Chief Obasanjo, but to say emphatically that she is neither 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.”