Adebutu Dares Yayi: Ogun Indigeneship Lawsuit Challenged

• Oladipupo Adebutu, PDP governorship candidate, challenged APC's Solomon Adeola (Yayi) to sue him over claims regarding Adeola's ancestry.
• Adeola had previously threatened legal action against two individuals for alleging he is an indigene of Ekiti State, calling the claims false and libellous.
• Adebutu asserts he possesses documents to support his position and claims Adeola's ancestral origins have been inconsistently stated.
• Adebutu also alleged campaign obstructions by the APC, including billboard defacement and a prevented rally, and claimed his convoy came under gunfire.
• The APC disputed the shooting account, alleging Adebutu's security personnel were involved, and called for a police investigation into the incident.

Adebutu explicitly dared Adeola's legal representatives to sue him, stating his eagerness to present all relevant documents in a court of law.

Oladipupo Adebutu, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Ogun State, has openly challenged Senator Solomon Adeola, his All Progressives Congress (APC) counterpart, to initiate legal proceedings against him. This dare stems from an ongoing dispute concerning Senator Adeola's ancestry, a contentious issue in the Ogun State governorship race. Adebutu issued his challenge during a PDP campaign rally held in the Odogbolu Local Government Area of the state on a Wednesday.

Senator Adeola, widely known as Yayi, had previously threatened legal action against two other individuals: PDP chieftain Folake Marcus-Bello and suspended APC member Abayomi Hunye. These threats, made on a Tuesday, were in response to claims suggesting Adeola is an indigene of Ekiti State. Adeola had given both individuals a 24-hour ultimatum to substantiate their allegations with evidence or face a lawsuit, unequivocally labeling the accusations as false and libellous. He maintained that he is a bona fide indigene of Ogun State.

In response, Adebutu expressed his readiness to confront Senator Adeola in court, asserting that he possesses documentation to support his stance on the matter. He criticized Adeola's threats against those questioning his origin, implying that their claims might hold truth. Adebutu explicitly dared Adeola's legal representatives to sue him, stating his eagerness to present all relevant documents in a court of law. He further alleged that Adeola's claims regarding his ancestral roots have been inconsistent, shifting from Joga to Ishaga, and then to Ilaro. Adebutu, for his part, highlighted his own clear Ogun State lineage, noting his mother's origin from Odogbolu and his father, Sir Kensington Adebutu, from Iperu, thereby asserting no ambiguity about his own background.

Beyond the indigeneship dispute, Adebutu also raised several other allegations concerning the conduct of the campaign. He claimed that the APC-led government in the state had obstructed the PDP's campaign efforts by preventing the erection of billboards and by facilitating the removal or defacement of the party's posters across Ogun State. Adebutu recounted an instance where the PDP's planned campaign event in Idowa was allegedly blocked, necessitating its relocation to Odogbolu. Despite these alleged restrictions, Adebutu affirmed the PDP's resolve to continue its campaign activities throughout the state.

Further escalating the political tensions, Adebutu alleged that his campaign convoy had come under gunfire. However, the APC subsequently disputed the PDP's account of this incident. In a statement released on a Thursday by its State Publicity Secretary, Femi Nuberu, the APC alleged that the shooting, which reportedly occurred in Ososa, involved security personnel attached to Adebutu. The APC called upon the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, to launch an investigation into the matter.

During the same rally, Adebutu used the platform to critique the incumbent APC-led administration in Ogun State. He outlined key policy priorities for a potential PDP government, promising to champion local government autonomy, ensure the timely payment of pensioners’ gratuities, and facilitate access to workers’ cooperative savings. These commitments were presented as central tenets of his party's vision for the state.

Echoing Adebutu's call to action, the PDP deputy governorship candidate, Yemi Sowunmi-Kolapo, also addressed the attendees. She urged residents to cast their votes for the PDP, reinforcing the party's message and encouraging broad participation in the upcoming elections.

This case illustrates the legal risks of defamation and libel in political campaigns, particularly concerning claims about a candidate's ancestry or indigeneship. Lawyers advising political clients should be prepared to assess the evidential basis for such claims and defend against potential lawsuits.

Source: Original reporting via Nigerian news outlets