Ogun Indigeneship Row: Adebutu Challenges Yayi to Court Battle

Oladipupo Adebutu, the Peoples Democratic Party's governorship candidate in Ogun State, has openly challenged his All Progressives Congress counterpart, Senator Solomon Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, to pursue legal action against him. This challenge from Adebutu comes amid ongoing claims regarding Senator Adeola’s ancestral roots and was issued on Wednesday during a PDP campaign rally held in the Odogbolu Local Government Area of Ogun State.

Earlier, on Tuesday, Senator Adeola had threatened to sue two PDP figures, Folake Marcus-Bello, and a suspended APC member, Abayomi Hunye. He gave them a 24-hour ultimatum to substantiate their allegations that he hails from Ekiti State, warning of legal consequences if they failed to provide proof. Adeola vehemently dismissed these claims as false and defamatory, asserting his status as a legitimate indigene of Ogun State. He stated, “I am a bona fide indigene of Ogun State. My mother is from here in Odogbolu, and my father, Sir Kensington Adebutu, is from Iperu, so no controversy about where I came from.”

However, Adebutu expressed his readiness to confront the senator in court, stating that he possesses documentation to support his stance on Adeola’s origins. He remarked, “It is, however, sad that the APC governorship candidate, Sen Adeola, commonly called Yayi, is threatening to sue people because they said that he is from Ekiti State. Did he think that these people were talking about what is not real? I am daring their lawyers to sue me… I am waiting for their lawyer to also sue me so that we can go and present all our documents in the court of law. They first claimed that they are from Joga; later they said Ishaga, Ilaro and all that…I am waiting for their lawyer to write to me so that we can show the whole world the truth,” he declared.

Furthermore, Adebutu accused the ruling APC government in the state of obstructing the PDP’s campaign efforts, specifically by preventing the erection of billboards and allegedly removing or defacing the party’s posters across the state. He claimed that a planned PDP campaign event in Idowa was disrupted, forcing the party to relocate it to Odogbolu. Despite these alleged restrictions, Adebutu affirmed that the party would not be deterred from campaigning throughout Ogun State. He also made a serious allegation that his campaign convoy had come under gunfire.

The APC, however, quickly refuted the PDP’s version of the shooting incident. In a statement released on Thursday by its State Publicity Secretary, Femi Nuberu, the APC alleged that the gunfire incident in Ososa actually involved security personnel attached to Adebutu’s convoy. The party urged the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, to launch an investigation into the matter.

Nuberu stated, “We find it deeply disturbing that security details attached to a candidate seeking to become the governor of Ogun State would reportedly cause apprehension among the populace through the reckless discharge of ammunition. The incident, which reportedly took place in Ososa, the hometown of our deputy governorship candidate, Mrs. Kudirat Abiodun Adegunwa-Balogun, is troubling and must not be allowed to escalate. It is provocative and capable of creating unnecessary fear and tension among law-abiding citizens. We expect the police investigation to establish the facts surrounding the incident and ensure that anyone found to have acted unlawfully is held accountable. We call on Hon. Ladi Adebutu and his campaign team to exercise restraint and ensure that their activities do not create fear, intimidation or disorder in any part of Ogun State.” The APC further appealed to residents to maintain peace and urged all political parties, candidates, and their supporters to operate within the confines of the law.

During the rally, Adebutu also took the opportunity to critique the current APC-led administration in Ogun State. He promised that a PDP government would prioritize autonomy for local governments, timely payment of pensioners’ gratuities, and improved access to workers’ cooperative savings. The PDP deputy governorship candidate, Yemi Sowunmi-Kolapo, encouraged citizens to cast their votes for the party in the upcoming 2027 election.

John Obafemi, a former chairman of Remo North Local Government and erstwhile state ALGON chairman, who recently defected from the APC to the PDP, also implored voters to support Adebutu. Meanwhile, Folake Marcus-Bello, present at the rally, reiterated her earlier assertions regarding Senator Adeola’s ancestry, promising to disclose more details in the weeks ahead. Efforts to get Senator Adeola’s reaction to Adebutu’s latest statements proved fruitless, as calls to his media aide, Kayode Odunaro, did not connect, and messages sent via WhatsApp remained unanswered at the time of this report’s filing.