A dramatic scene reportedly unfolded at the palace of the Akarigbo and Paramount Ruler of Remoland, Oba Babatunde Adewale Ajayi, when Adebiyi Adeleye, the APC candidate for the Ogun State House of Assembly, Remo North State Constituency, was ordered out of the palace during a visit by the party’s 2027 campaign team.
The incident reportedly occurred shortly after the inauguration of the Ogun State APC Campaign Council in Abeokuta, the state capital, when Governor Dapo Abiodun, APC governorship candidate Senator Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, his running mate, Alhaja Kudirat Adegunwa-Balogun, members of the campaign council and other party stakeholders proceeded to the Akarigbo’s palace.
On arrival, the governor, Yayi and some senior party stakeholders were received by the monarch in his inner chamber, while other members of the delegation remained in the palace hall.
After the meeting, the Akarigbo, accompanied by the governor, Yayi and other stakeholders, reportedly emerged from the inner chamber to address those waiting in the hall.
It was during the gathering that the monarch allegedly sighted Adeleye and ordered him to leave the palace, reportedly directing him not to return.
The development has reportedly heightened attention around the lingering disagreement between Adeleye and the traditional institution over the emergence and installation of Oba Ayoola Bada as the Olu Imagbon of Imagbon in Remo North Local Government.
The Akarigbo, as the paramount ruler of Remoland, played a traditional role in the process that culminated in the emergence and installation of Oba Bada, after which the Ogun State Government presented the monarch with his certificate and staff of office.
Adeleye was, however, reportedly opposed to the emergence of Oba Bada, a position that sources said contributed to the strained relationship between him and the traditional institution.
Sources in Remo also alleged that Adeleye had, on previous occasions, made remarks considered critical of the monarch, including questioning the extent of the Akarigbo’s traditional authority across Remoland.
He was further alleged to have suggested that the Akarigbo’s authority was limited to Sagamu and did not extend across the entire Remo Kingdom.
The reported disagreement is particularly notable because Adeleye had previously sought the blessing of the Akarigbo when he contested for the House of Representatives seat representing Remo Federal Constituency.
The latest palace incident has now raised questions among political stakeholders about the possible implications of the strained relationship for Adeleye’s 2027 House of Assembly ambition and the APC’s grassroots mobilisation in Remo North.
Some party members and political stakeholders have also expressed concern that the dispute could create difficulties for the party in coordinating its campaign and mobilisation efforts in the constituency.
The development comes as the APC begins preparations for the 2027 general elections following the inauguration of its campaign council in Abeokuta.
There have also been reports of defections from the APC in Remo North following Adeleye’s emergence as the party’s candidate for the state House of Assembly, adding to concerns among party stakeholders about the potential impact on the party’s campaign activities in the constituency ahead of the election.
The reported confrontation at the palace has therefore added another layer to the political tensions surrounding Adeleye, with attention now turning to how the APC leadership will manage the situation as the 2027 election approaches.
As of press time, neither the palace of the Akarigbo nor Adebiyi Adeleye had publicly responded to the reported incident. Efforts to obtain their reactions were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
