Yayi Threatens Lawsuit: Ekiti Indigene Claims Spark Legal Action

• Senator Solomon Adeola, the APC governorship candidate for Ogun State, has threatened legal action against two individuals.
• Hon Abayomi Hunye, a suspended APC member, and Ambassador Folake Marcus-Bello, a PDP member, claimed on Channels Television that Adeola is an indigene of Ekiti State.
• Adeola has issued a 24-hour ultimatum for them to provide evidence for their "false and libelous" claims or face lawsuits.
• This dispute over his ancestral origin has resurfaced ahead of the 2027 Ogun State governorship election.
• Traditional councils in Kemta, Ogun State, led by Chief Abayomi Rotimi, have previously affirmed Senator Adeola's ancestral ties to their community.

The re-emergence of these claims is seen by Adeola's camp as an attempt to derail what they describe as his 'seemingly unstoppable move' towards the upcoming gubernatorial contest.

Senator Solomon Adeola, widely known as Yayi, who currently represents Ogun West in the Senate and is the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate for Ogun State, has issued a stern warning of impending legal action. The senator is targeting two individuals, Hon Abayomi Hunye and Ambassador Folake Marcus-Bello, over allegations concerning his state of origin. Adeola has given both parties a strict 24-hour ultimatum to substantiate their claims that he hails from Ekiti State, failing which he intends to initiate lawsuits against them.

The allegations in question were reportedly made by Hunye, a suspended APC member from Tube, Ipokia Local Government Area, and Marcus-Bello, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party. According to a statement released on Tuesday by Kayode Odunaro, Senator Adeola’s media adviser, these assertions were broadcast during separate interviews conducted on Channels Television programmes. Odunaro emphasized that both individuals presented these claims regarding Adeola's Ekiti State indigene status without offering any supporting evidence.

Senator Adeola has unequivocally labeled the accusations as both false and libelous, demanding that Hunye and Marcus-Bello produce concrete proof of his state of origin within the stipulated 24-hour timeframe. Expressing profound disbelief at the public statements, the senator articulated his frustration, stating that he watched "in utter disbelief as these characters that I hardly know utter assertive and outrageous lies about my origin without any proof." He further highlighted the lack of specificity from one accuser regarding his supposed Ekiti hometown and dismissed the other's claims about his parents' burial sites as an attempt to justify an "unsustainable falsehood."

The senator's direct challenge underscores the serious nature of the allegations, which he views as a direct assault on his reputation and identity. His media adviser confirmed that the claim regarding Adeola's alleged Ekiti origin is not new, having been previously deployed as a political tactic during his successful campaign to become the senator for Ogun West. This history suggests a pattern of using questions about his background as a political weapon.

This recent threat of legal action by Senator Adeola emerges amidst a renewed and intensified controversy surrounding his ancestral roots, particularly as the 2027 Ogun State governorship election draws closer. The re-emergence of these claims is seen by Adeola's camp as an attempt to derail what they describe as his 'seemingly unstoppable move' towards the upcoming gubernatorial contest. The dispute over his state of origin has thus become a significant point of contention in the political landscape of Ogun State.

In a related development, PUNCH Online had previously reported on efforts by traditional councils in Kemta, Ogun State, to affirm Senator Adeola’s ancestral ties to their community. Chief Abayomi Rotimi, who holds the titles of Oluwo of Kemta and Baaye of Egbaland, publicly declared Adeola’s connection to the community during a press conference held at the Ile Ogboni of Kemta. Chief Rotimi asserted that "Yayi is one of us. He is our son," stressing that Adeola remains a son of the community irrespective of any political disagreements among residents. He also cautioned against allowing political considerations to interfere with the integrity of traditional institutions, and refuted social media reports about the closure of the Ile Ogboni of Kemta, dismissing them as false and politically motivated.

This development highlights the increasing use of legal threats, specifically defamation/libel suits, by political figures in Nigeria to counter claims perceived as damaging to their reputation or eligibility, particularly in the run-up to elections. Lawyers should advise clients on the legal risks associated with making unsubstantiated public statements about political opponents and the potential for litigation, while also noting the strategic use of such threats by politicians to control narratives.

Source: Original reporting via PUNCH Online.