Hunye welcomes Yayi’s lawsuit threat over Ekiti origin claim

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A member of the All Progressives Congress in Ogun State, Abayomi Hunye, has welcomed the threat by the party’s 2027 governorship candidate, Senator Solomon Adeola, to institute legal action over claims concerning his alleged Ekiti ancestry.

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Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, had given Hunye and a Peoples Democratic Party chieftain, Ambassador Folake Marcus-Bello, 24 hours to provide evidence backing their claims that he was an indigene of Ekiti State or face legal action.

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However, Hunye, through his media aide, Femi Oyewale, in a statement on Tuesday, said he was ready to meet the senator in court, insisting that he had documentary evidence to support his position.

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He also claimed that a legal matter relating to the disputed ancestry was already before a court, describing Adeola’s 24-hour ultimatum as a political tactic designed to attract public attention.

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“We want to state categorically that we welcome the threat of a lawsuit with open arms. We are more than ready to meet Senator Adeola in a court of competent jurisdiction.

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“Interestingly, it seems they are not well informed that the matter is already in court. Threatening us with a lawsuit, therefore, is like a political jamboree designed to make noise in the public,” the statement reads in part.

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Hunye accused the senator of attempting to intimidate those questioning his ancestry and eligibility to contest the governorship election.

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“For far too long, the political space in Ogun West has been subjected to intimidation, high-handedness, and the suppression of truth through media propaganda and sponsored brickbats,” he said.

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He described Adeola’s 24-hour ultimatum and threat of legal action as “a familiar diversionary tactic” and “a media gimmick designed to bully dissenting voices and evade public accountability.”

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Hunye maintained that the question of a candidate’s origin and eligibility was a matter of public interest, particularly ahead of the 2027 election.

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“The issue of a candidate’s origin and eligibility is a matter of constitutional concern, not a private affair.

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“It touches on the integrity of our democratic institutions and the aspirations of the good people of Ogun State, who deserve a leader whose roots and allegiance are indisputably local.”

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He further challenged Adeola to pursue the matter in court rather than continue the controversy through the media.

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“Truth is an absolute defence against libel. Rather than engaging in empty threats and grandstanding on national television, Senator Adeola should save his energy and approach the court immediately,” Hunye said.

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He also pledged to present what he described as “robust, verifiable facts and documentary evidence” concerning his allegation of Adeola’s Ekiti ancestry if the matter came before the court.

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“The courtroom is where evidence is tested, not the pages of newspapers or sponsored broadcast interviews,” he said.

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The development is the latest escalation in the controversy over Adeola’s ancestry as political activities gather momentum ahead of the 2027 Ogun State governorship election.

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Adeola, who represents Ogun West in the Senate, had described the claims about his origin as false and libellous and demanded that Hunye and Marcus-Bello substantiate them.

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His media adviser, Kayode Odunaro, in a statement on Tuesday had said the two made the claims during separate appearances on Channels Television programmes without providing evidence.

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Adeola’s camp had, however, maintained that the allegation was not new, saying it had previously been used as a political campaign against his emergence as the senator representing Ogun West.

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Amid the renewed controversy, traditional authorities in Kemta, Ogun State, recently affirmed Adeola’s ancestral ties to the community.

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The Oluwo of Kemta and Baaye of Egbaland, Chief Abayomi Rotimi, had declared at a press conference at the Ile Ogboni of Kemta that Adeola remained a son of the community.

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“Yayi is one of us. He is our son. We have different political parties here. We have PDP, APC, Accord and others. Whoever is our son is our son, and whoever comes here for us to help, we accept him,” Rotimi had said.

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He cautioned against allowing political differences to interfere with the affairs of the traditional institution.

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Rotimi also dismissed reports that the Ile Ogboni of Kemta had been shut because of Adeola’s relationship with the community, describing such reports as false and politically motivated.

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