The Ogun State Police Command has again summoned nine kingmakers in Ijebu Ode over allegations of bribery and financial inducement in the ongoing selection process for the new Awujale and paramount ruler of Ijebuland.

The kingmakers are expected to appear at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Eleweran, Abeokuta, on Monday and Tuesday next week.

A senior police source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the development on Friday, stating that the invitation is linked to ongoing investigations into alleged financial inducement.

“The nine kingmakers have been asked to report at the command headquarters on Monday and Tuesday. The invitation is still in connection with allegations of financial inducement,” the source said.

One of the kingmakers, Chief Abimbola Okenla, the Kakanfo of Ijebuland, confirmed the invitation, noting that four of them are scheduled to appear on Monday, while the remaining five will report on Tuesday.

Expressing dissatisfaction over the repeated summons, Okenla described the allegations as unfounded and the process as a distraction to the selection exercise.

“None of us is happy with these frequent invitations by security agencies over unfounded allegations. The people of Ijebuland are equally not pleased because it is becoming a distraction,” he said.

He appealed to Governor Dapo Abiodun to allow the kingmakers to complete the selection process without further interference.

“We urge the governor to allow us to carry out our duty and conclude the process of selecting the next Awujale without delay,” he added.

Also reacting, the head of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House and former National President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Alhaji Abdulateef Owoyemi, said he had heard about the invitation but could not confirm its authenticity.

He, however, urged the state government to allow due process to take its course, stressing the need for a smooth and timely selection of a new monarch.

“What the people of Ijebuland desire is a new Awujale who will build on the enduring legacy of the late Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona,” he said.

A copy of the police invitation dated April 17, 2026, and addressed to one of the kingmakers, Chief Adebisi Adaran (Gbeden), was signed by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the SCID, Gbenga Adeoye.

The letter described the invitation as part of a fact-finding exercise, urging the recipient to appear for an interview and noting that he is free to attend with legal representation.

The development comes amid lingering controversies surrounding the selection process, which has been repeatedly disrupted.

The police had earlier invited the same kingmakers in February over similar allegations, although the investigation was reportedly halted following high-level intervention.

In January, the Ogun State Government suspended the selection process, citing multiple petitions from stakeholders and security agencies. A similar halt was earlier imposed in December 2025 over alleged procedural irregularities.

The Awujale stool became vacant in July 2025 following the death of Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona at the age of 91 after 65 years on the throne.

Before the suspension of the process, no fewer than 95 aspirants—94 princes and one princess—from the Fusengbuwa Ruling House had emerged during a nomination exercise in Ijebu Ode.