Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has disowned his wife, Taiwo Martins, who apologised to all Yoruba worldwide for commanding some monarchs in Oyo State to stand up for Governor Seyi Makinde.
Obasanjo is being harshly criticised over his action in Oyo State, where he ordered the obas to stand up and greet governor, Makinde, stating that a governor is more powerful than any king.
Following the development, Mrs Obasanjo issued an apology on behalf of the former president.
Taiwo statement titled, “Oyo Kings: A plea for forgiveness”, begged “for permanent and eternal forgiveness and pardon from all Yoruba sons and daughters worldwide, fathers and mothers, youths, teenagers and children, Christians, Muslims, traditional worshippers, all leaders in Yoruba land and the Council of Kings in Yoruba land.”
However, reacting to the apology, Obasanjo said Taiwo is neither his wife nor a member of Obasanjo’s family but rather an impostor despite having two children with him.
The former president said he stood firmly, unapologetically on the position that a governor holds the highest office in the state and should therefore be given the due respect as enshrined in the constitution.
He made this known in a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi on Monday.
He 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 to say emphatically that she is not 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 statements 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.
“However, the former President has 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.”
