The legal contest over the 2027 Ogun State governorship has intensified, with the legal adviser to All Progressives Congress (APC) aspirant Hon. Abayomi Semako Hunye accusing the party’s candidate, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (popularly known as Yayi), of making contradictory declarations in sworn electoral documents.
Mr Victor Olamide, counsel to Hunye, insisted the dispute is not primarily about Adeola’s ancestry or state of origin. Instead, he said, it centres on whether the senator provided materially inconsistent information under oath at different points in his political career.
The comments follow Adeola’s threat of legal action against Hunye and former Nigerian Ambassador Folake Marcus-Bello over claims that he has Ekiti roots. Adeola, through his media adviser Chief Kayode Odunaro, gave the pair 24 hours to produce evidence or face lawsuits, describing the allegations as false and defamatory.
Olamide maintained that the proper forum for resolution is the courtroom. “We are not challenging the indigenship of Senator Solomon Adeola; we are saying he has committed perjury,” he alleged.
According to the lawyer, the Hunye team intends to examine declarations Adeola allegedly made while holding elective positions in Lagos State before shifting his political focus to Ogun. He questioned whether the senator had consistently stated the same state of origin and personal details across successive electoral forms.
“On your INEC form, you must swear an oath that everything provided is true. If you held elective office in Lagos State since 2003 and filled out sworn declarations, which state did you claim in those previous forms? Was it Ekiti, Lagos or Ogun State?” Olamide asked. He argued that any material contradiction would amount to perjury under Nigerian law and should be determined by a court.
Olamide urged Adeola to move beyond media exchanges. “Rather than issuing 24-hour ultimatums and grandstanding on national television, Senator Adeola should prepare to defend his sworn declarations and submit his credentials for full judicial scrutiny in open court,” he said.
Hunye has welcomed the threatened lawsuit, stating he is ready to defend his position and present documentary evidence if the matter reaches the judiciary.
In a further claim, Olamide warned that Adeola could become a “political flight risk” to the APC if the party proceeds with his candidacy without resolving the outstanding legal questions. He alleged the senator carries “a lot of baggage” that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) could exploit during the 2027 campaign, particularly issues of eligibility, origin and previous declarations.
The eligibility controversy has already spawned litigation. In September, the Ogun chapters of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) and BOOT Party denied claims that they had withdrawn legal challenges related to Adeola’s candidacy and state-of-origin questions. PDP governorship hopeful Ladi Adebutu and Marcus-Bello have also publicly urged Adeola to follow through on his threatened legal action.
Olamide said the Hunye camp is prepared to let the courts examine the authenticity and legal consequences of any conflicting documents. He stressed that allegations of perjury must be established through the judicial process rather than political statements.
The latest exchange adds another layer to the intensifying political and legal contest within the Ogun APC as rival camps prepare to test their claims through litigation and documentary evidence ahead of the 2027 election.
