I dare you to take me to court, Adebutu challenges Yayi over Ekiti indigene claim

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Ogun State for the 2027 election, Oladipupo Adebutu, has challenged the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Senator Solomon Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, to institute legal action against him over claims concerning the senator’s alleged indigene status.

Adebutu, a former federal lawmaker, said he was prepared to present documents before a court to substantiate his claim that Adeola was not an indigene of Ogun State.

He also accused the ruling APC administration of growing increasingly apprehensive about what he described as the opposition PDP’s growing strength ahead of the 2027 governorship election.

Adebutu made the remarks at a PDP campaign rally in Odogbolu Local Government Area.

He alleged that PDP campaign billboards were being prevented from being erected while posters belonging to the party were being removed or defaced in parts of the state.

The PDP candidate further alleged that the party had initially planned to hold its campaign in Idowa, but was prevented from doing so, prompting the campaign team to relocate the event to Odogbolu.

According to him, the alleged restrictions would not stop the PDP from reaching voters across the state.

Adebutu said: “the truth is that APC is already jittery; they are in panic mode because they are well aware that the next government in power in the state come 2027 will be the PDP.

“They said we can’t have our billboards erected and now they are defacing and removing our posters. Why are they afraid?

 “They also said that we can’t have our campaign in Idowa, but here we are in Odogbolu, the birthplace of my late mother, Dame Caroline Adebutu.”

On the controversy surrounding Adeola’s ancestry, Adebutu said he was ready to face the senator in court if sued over his claim.

He said: “It is sad that the APC governorship candidate, Senator Adeola, commonly called Yayi, is threatening to sue people because they said that he is from Ekiti State.

“I am daring their lawyers to sue me because the truth is that Yayi is not an indigene of Ogun State.

“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 me so that we can show the whole world the truth.”

Adebutu also defended his own claim to Ogun indigene status, saying his mother hailed from Odogbolu while his father, businessman Sir Kensington Adebutu, is from Iperu.

He said: “I am a bona fide indigene of Ogun State. My mother was from here in Odogbolu and my father, Sir Kensington Adebutu, is from Iperu, so there is no controversy about where I came from.”

The PDP candidate further alleged that Adeola was involved in what he described as “project diversion,” claiming that projects meant for other states had been brought to Ogun State.

He also criticised the APC-led government over what he described as poor governance and economic hardship, promising that a PDP administration would prioritise grassroots development, local government autonomy and the welfare of pensioners and workers.

“We shall prioritise payment of gratuities of our pensioners. Government workers would have access to their cooperative savings because we won’t touch it; they will always have access to their money to enhance their well-being whenever they want it,” he said.

Adebutu also alleged that gunshots were fired at the windscreen and tyres of vehicles in his campaign convoy.

At the rally were a former Commissioner for Finance and Director-General of the Oladipupo Adebutu Governorship Campaign, Dr Kehinde Sogunle; former Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, ALGON, in the state, Hon. John Obafemi; former Ambassador to Zambia and Malawi, Folake Marcus-Bello; former Deputy Minority Whip of the ninth National Assembly, Hon. Adesegun Adekoya; the PDP deputy governorship candidate, Alhaja Yemi Sowunmi-Kolapo; and other party leaders, aspirants and supporters.

Adeola had, in a statement issued on Tuesday by his media aide, Kayode Odunaro, threatened legal action against an APC governorship aspirant, Abayomi Hunye, and Marcus-Bello over what he described as a “libelous declaration on national television” that he was from Ekiti State and not an indigene of Ogun.

The senator reportedly gave the individuals 24 hours to provide evidence supporting the claim or face legal action for alleged defamation of character.

Speaking at the rally, however, Marcus-Bello said she stood by her claim concerning Adeola’s alleged ancestry, adding that she would make further revelations in the coming weeks.

She urged residents to prepare for what she described as a new era of good governance, development and accountability under a PDP administration.

The PDP deputy governorship candidate, Sowunmi-Kolapo, also urged residents to turn out with their Permanent Voter Cards and vote for the party in the 2027 election.

She said the PDP had developed programmes aimed at improving the living conditions of residents across the state.

Obafemi, who recently defected from the APC to the PDP, also called on voters to support Adebutu and the opposition party, arguing that successive APC administrations had subjected residents to hardship since the PDP left power in the state.

Meanwhile, the Ogun State chapter of the APC has challenged the allegation by the PDP campaign that gunmen attacked Adebutu’s convoy during its campaign activities.