Olu of Warri Ogiame Atuwatse III says he did not endorse a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Bola Tinubu for president in 2023.
Reports had claimed that the monarch endorsed Tinubu when a delegation of the South West Agenda for Asiwaju and Delta State for Bola Ahmed Tinubu visited him at his palace on Thursday.
A statement by a spokesman of the palace Oriiz Onuwaje said the Olu’s comments were misconstrued.
Onuwaje noted that the Olu of Warri had no political affiliation to any party or candidate vying for any office in the forthcoming elections.
“On the instructions of His Majesty Ogiame Atuwatse III – The Olu of Warri; firmly rebut the statement claiming Ogiame’s endorsement of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and restates that Ogiame has no political affiliation or preferred political candidate for any office in the forthcoming 2023 elections be it at the regional, sub-national or national level,” the statement read.
“Ogiame is a father figure to all and has no personal favourite or special interests in any candidate or political party vying for any office in the forthcoming elections one way or another and will therefore not endorse or discredit any candidate to the detriment or advantage of others.
“The headlines credited to Ogiame in the referenced quotes have been taken out of context and reworked to suit a specific narrative. They cannot be further from the truth. For an unclear motive, the writer contravenes the Palace’s avowed role of non-partisanship.”
The statement added that the Olu is duty-bound to receive and proffer advice and blessings to all those who seek his audience and counsel.
