Murder: I’m ready to face trial — Alao-Akala

Written by The Punch Friday, 23 July 2010

Oyo State Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala has expressed his readiness to waive his immunity to allow security agencies investigate the allegations by the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III and a former Governor Lam Adesina that he was planning to kill them.

He said he was willing to be interrogated and would make statements to ensure that investigators get to the root of the allegations.

Alao-Akala spoke during an interactive session with journalists at the Government House, Agodi, Ibadan on Wednesday evening.

He said he had instructed the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice to ask security operatives to ensure thorough investigation into the allegations.

He said it was ridiculous for the Alaafin to raise the alarm that he wanted to kill him when he, as the sitting governor, had the power to banish the traditional ruler from his kingdom if he had any grudge against him instead of killing him.

The governor said while he knew that the Olubadan of Ibadan and the Soun of Ogbomoso might not be happy with him for not making the chairmanship of the state Council of Obas rotational, he could not comprehend his problem with Alaafin whom he had made the permanent chairman according to the law.

He also insisted that he had no reason to kill Adesina because the former governor was not a threat to him.

He said, “Lam Adesina cannot stand on my way, so of what use it is if I plan to kill him? Who is he?

“Was he actually a governor when he was a governor? We all knew what happened then because I was in the system.

“Many of them did not use their fathers’ names to contest election. They used Obafemi Awolowo’s name. I used my father’s name to contest and I won.”