By Yomisaint Adebayo
Yesterday, while following up on the trending issue at the Senate, I stumbled upon a rather curious news report with the above-mentioned title in brackets about the Supreme Court case initiated by the PDP candidate in the November 16, 2024 governorship election, former Deputy Governor Agboola Alfred Ajayi, challenging the legitimacy of the incumbent Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olayide Owolabi Adelami, as well as joining Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa and the APC in the case.
The report caught my attention. At first, I didn’t take it seriously, having initially seen it on some small blogs. However, I couldn’t resist the urge to read and even share it when I came across it on PM News, a reputable media organization that has been around since the June 12 crisis and is known for its credible journalism. I initially refrained from forming an opinion, hoping to see a swift rejoinder debunking the claims. However, since none came, I find it necessary to share my thoughts on the matter.
Honestly, I believed we had moved past the era of directionless politics in Ondo State, especially concerning legal battles over last year’s gubernatorial election. Yet, here we are again. One part of the report that truly struck me was the claim that Mr Agboola Ajayi sold his house to fund this legal pursuit, particularly to hire another lawyer and “settle” some judges, according to the news. My first reaction was: Could this be true, and why? How has his counsel convinced him to take such a drastic step in the face of the obvious incredibility of the case? But beyond that, the real question remains, did former Deputy Governor Agboola Ajayi truly sell his property to chase this case? If yes, as communicated in the report, then to what end?
Boasting, in itself, as also mentioned in the report, is not the real issue here. Mr. Ajayi and his lead counsel, Mr Ahmed Raji SAN, can boast that they have their plans in place, and, as alleged in the news, that they have “settled” certain judges, but, again, towards what purpose? People boast before elections, boxing matches, football games, and all sorts of competitions, only to face a different reality afterwards. However, how this case is being pursued raises serious concerns. Are the senior lawyers on Mr Agboola Ajayi’s legal team genuinely hopeful about their chances, or are they merely stroking his ego while strategically benefitting from his persistence? What exactly is the end goal of repeatedly changing legal teams for a case that was already dismissed last year for lacking credibility? Do they expect the judges to suddenly wake up one day and change their minds?
It is becoming increasingly clear that Hon. Agboola Ajayi is embarking on a futile legal adventure. When did it become a crime for someone to stop using a name they no longer prefer and opt for another? This is something people do all the time, yet here we are, debating a name change that happened back in the secondary school days of Ondo State’s Deputy Governor, Dr. Olayide Owolabi Adelami. More importantly, after that period, Dr. Adelami pursued further education at reputable institutions up to PhD level and even attended Course 54 at the prestigious National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies. He worked at the Federal Civil Service Commission and rose to the position of Permanent Secretary in the Directorate of Procurement, Estate, and Works. He also held key leadership roles and was later appointed Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly, all under these well-documented credentials. Yet, Hon. Agboola Ajayi is challenging one of the names on them in court. Do these facts suddenly become invalid simply because he once had a different name in his teenage years and later chose not to use it anymore?
Some words do tend to come before their time. Last December, during the 25th Founder’s Day celebration at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, I recall that a respected PDP chieftain, Dr. Bode Ayorinde, an administrator, former House of Representatives member for Owo/Ose Federal Constituency, and founder of Achievers University, made an interesting analogy about Obaship installation in Owo. He explained that once a contest is determined and a king is installed, the other contestants traditionally return to farming until the next contest arises. Using this analogy, he acknowledged that the APC had convincingly won the election and urged PDP members to “return to the farm” for the next four years until another election presents itself.
This is a man who has played politics at the highest level and comes from a district that has produced two executive governors of the State. I am certain these words reached Hon. Agboola, and I would have expected him to take such wise counsel to heart.
Also, this reminds me of a statement made last month by Ondo State’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr Olukayode Ajulo SAN, OON, a renowned and accomplished legal juggernaut. He advised Hon. Agboola Ajayi, as a brother, to abandon what he described as a “fruitless legal process” and instead focus on contributing to the state’s development. His position was backed by legal precedents and a fundamental understanding of how the courts operate. Was this open advice mistaken for an attempt to discourage him from pursuing the case? Hon. Agboola Ajayi has been in politics long enough to recognise when he is being cajoled by his counsel into chasing a futile adventure, or perhaps I was wrong about him. Meanwhile, I expect Hon. Agboola to recognise that Dr Ajulo is an authority in his field, having served at the highest level of political party administration as National Secretary and having attained the pinnacle of the legal profession.
Politics is politics, but it should never cloud sound judgment. I acknowledge that the law is the law, but it exists for reasonable application, not for endless legal theatrics. The reality is that Hon. Agboola Ajayi contested an election against Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and failed to secure victory in a single local government. Now, he wants the court to hand him the mandate because his opponent’s running mate, at some point in his life, stopped using the name “Jackson” and chose to bear “Owolabi” instead.
What, then, happens to the people’s will, the 18-0 verdict at the polls? What then should be the fate of the region that toiled day and night to deliver the highest votes in the election? Should elections now be contested based on how well one can find flimsy and unsubstantiated faults rather than on competence and the content of one’s manifesto? At what point do we separate genuine legal concerns from political distractions?
At this stage, one must ask what exactly is this lawsuit meant to achieve. If it is about the credibility of the electoral process, shouldn’t that have been the focus from the beginning? If it is about the people’s mandate, why is there no strong public outcry demanding a reversal? The judiciary is an institution of fairness, but it should not be burdened with cases that serve no practical or democratic purpose.
It is time for Hon. Agboola Alfred Ajayi, to rise above personal ambitions and focus on meaningful collaboration for effective and sustainable governance. The people of Ondo State deserve development, stability, and progress, not endless court dramas that lead nowhere. Respectfully, if this is the strategy behind the much-touted “AgboFessy Lawa” movement, then things are not as strategically planned as they claim to be.
Yomisaint is a Media Strategist, PR Professional and Publicist. He’s on X as @yomisaint
