President Goodluck Jonathan on Saturday visited two prominent traditional rulers in South West, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade and the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi 111 as part of his consultations for the 2015 presidential election.

At Ile-Ife, Osun State, the President held a secret meeting with the Ooni of Ife, Oba Sijuwade at the Ooni’s palace where crucial issues relating to the nation’s security and 2015 general elections were reportedly discussed.

It was gathered that the meeting was at the instance of President Jonathan. Sources at the palace said the meeting was to fashion out modalities by which Jonathan would gain the backing of the Yoruba race in the next general election.

Oba Sijuwade, a prominent traditional ruler in Yoruba land and President Osun State Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs was believed to be a major factor in Yoruba land.

President Jonathan who arrived the Ooni’s palace at exactly 3.00pm was accompanied by the Minister of State for Federal Capital Territory, Oloye Jumoke Akinjide. After formal introduction of dignitaries who joined Oba Sijuwade to welcome the President, both the monarch and President Jonathan entered into the inner chamber of the palace where they held a secret meeting which lasted for 30 minutes.

After the meeting, both Oba Sijuwade and President Jonathan went back into the palace hall and the President departed after exchanging greetings with dignitaries at the palace hall. President Jonathan who left the Palace of the Ooni of Ife at 3.45pm however refused to speak with newsmen, insisting that his visit to the first class monarch was a private one.

The Deputy Governor of Osun State who welcomed the President to the state on behalf of Governor Rauf Aregbesola was among dignitaries at the palace of the Ooni of Ife.

A governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state who is also an indigene of Ile-Ife, Senator Iyiola Omisore while speaking with Journalists said the President had through his visit shown that he has respect for the traditional institution.

Also, A ministerial nominee from the state, Alhaji Jelili Adesiyan was among dignitaries that received President Jonathan at the Ooni’s palace, while traditional rulers from across the state also prayed for the President and his government.

During the visit to Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olyiwola Adeyemi 111, Jonathan lauded the monarch for the peace reigning in the state and the country at large.  The President  said with the crowd at the reception hall where he was received that he had come home to visit his father and was not expecting any coverage as being seen, but acknowledged that there was no way he could hide.

The President said he had also come to thank the people of the state and the entire South-West people for the support given to him and his party (Peoples Democratic Party) during the 2011 election, noting however that he would not want to talk on that so that he would not be said to be campaigning. "I thank not only the people of the state, but the entire South-West for the support we received in 2011 and I have come to reciprocate the gesture with the hope that things will continue as well. We are one, I remain your own," he said.

Oba Adeyemi, who initially declined to make any statement, describing the visit as purely a private one, said since the President didn't say anything, the visit was a private one.  But, when asked to express his view on the likelihood effect of the visit on Oyo politics in 2015, the monarch emphatically said President Jonathan did not discuss politics with him, but, rather, he was thankful for the peace reigning in the state and the country.

Oba Adeyemi disclosed that the President enjoined him and his brother Obas across the country to continue everything within their power to ensure that the citizens continue to live in peace with one another.

Former governor of the state, Omololu Olunloyo, who was part of the entourage of Mr. President that held a closed-door meeting with Alaafin that lasted for almost an hour later told journalists that the President was doing the right thing by his visit not only to Alaafin, but also to Ooni of Ife.

In his view, the visit was consultative and expressed the hope that President Jonathan would take a cue from governor Ajimobi, who appointed the children of the three most powerful monarchs in the state to his cabinet.  This, he said the President could do by giving indigenes of the state and who are close to the monarch powerful board appointments as well as ministerial slots.