Politics
Indigeneship: Group Backs Yayi, Says Adebutu Lacks Moral Standing To Question Credential
The Ogun Youth Vanguard (OYV), a pressure group, has hit back at attempts to question the indigeneship of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Senator Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, describing the campaign as a desperate political strategy aimed at frustrating the longstanding aspiration of the Yewa people to produce the next governor of Ogun State.
In a statement issued in Abeokuta on Friday by its Secretary, Abdulhamid Irewole, OYV challenged those questioning Adeola’s roots to produce their evidence before the appropriate judicial or constitutional authorities rather than resorting to what it described as a campaign of calumny through television appearances and social media.
The group alleged that political interests opposed to Adeola’s emergence had deployed individuals to television stations to cast doubts on his ancestry, describing the development as an attempt to “chase shadows” and divert attention from the APC candidate’s record of service.
OYV also took aim at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Ladi Adebutu, alleging that he had been deploying his supporters to propagate what the group described as “false claims” against Adeola.
The group said Adebutu, who is facing prosecution arising from allegations relating to vote-buying and corruption, should allow the courts to determine his case instead of attempting to cast aspersions on the character of another candidate.
“Someone who has allegations of vote-buying and corruption hanging over him should first remove the log in his own eye before pointing accusing fingers at an innocent person. Rather than addressing the serious allegations before the courts, Adebutu appears to believe that he can secure Ogun’s governorship through a dubious campaign strategy. That strategy has failed,” the group said.
OYV insisted that the indigeneship issue was part of a broader political effort to frustrate what it described as the legitimate and longstanding aspiration of the Yewa people to produce the governor of Ogun State.
It alleged that those behind the campaign were attempting to rob Yewa of an opportunity that the zone had pursued for decades, but declared that such efforts would not succeed.
The group also drew attention to the current political configuration of the state, noting that Governor Dapo Abiodun and Adebutu are both from Iperu in Ikenne Local Government Area.
According to OYV, those seeking to perpetuate the existing political arrangement at the expense of other zones are merely attempting to turn the hands of the clock backwards.
“The aspiration of Yewa to produce the governor of Ogun State is sacrosanct. No amount of blackmail, intimidation or politically motivated attacks can erase that aspiration,” the group said.
It further argued that if the present arrangement were to be sustained indefinitely, the implication would be that other zones would have to wait many more years before their turn.
“It is the turn of Yewa, and attempts to deny the people of the zone their longstanding aspiration have failed,” OYV said.
The group challenged anyone with credible evidence capable of disproving Adeola’s claim of Ogun indigeneship to present it before the appropriate authorities, insisting that television appearances and political allegations cannot substitute for due process.
It said Adeola would remain focused on his campaign and urged the electorate to judge all candidates on their records, programmes, experience and commitment to Ogun State.
“Ogun people deserve a campaign based on issues, not distractions. If anyone has evidence capable of disproving Senator Adeola’s indigeneship, let such evidence be presented before the appropriate authority. Otherwise, those behind the campaign should stop chasing shadows and allow the people to focus on the issues that matter,” the group said.
Lucky Aiyedatiwa, governor of Ondo, says the state remains firmly with the All Progressives Congress (APC), while insisting that he has no issues with Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), or the rainbow coalition he is erecting.
Aiyedatiwa spoke on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’ on Monday while responding to questions about the cross-party coalition backing President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid.
“In my state, it is APC all the way; that does not mean that I don’t have relationship with Wike. I don’t have any problem with Wike,” the governor said.
Aiyedatiwa said there is nothing wrong with the rainbow coalition, arguing that politics revolves around interests, relationships and alliances.
“Politics is about interests, relationships, alliances, if you like. So, rainbow coalition being led by His Excellency Honourable Minister Nyesom Wike, there is nothing wrong in having coalition or alliances; it’s all about interests, who wants to be part of that, you choose,” he said.
The governor likened the coalition to various support groups backing Tinubu’s re-election bid, saying there is nothing wrong with such a platform if its objective is to support the president.
“There is freedom of association of being a member of one group, coalition or another, just as we have a lot of support groups supporting the president,” he said.
“So, if rainbow coalition is also in form of a support group too for the president, what is wrong in that? Nothing.”
Aiyedatiwa, however, said his support for the APC in Ondo is not incompatible with his relationship with Wike or his view that political alliances were legitimate.
“In my state, it is APC all the way,” he stated.
Wike, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said in January that his rainbow coalition represents a shift from conventional party politics towards a collective political movement focused on advancing the interests of the state.
However, the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) said it would not endorse any alliance or political arrangements that could undermine Tinubu’s re-election bid or the party’s candidates in the 2027 elections.
Eight members of the Zamfara State House of Assembly have resigned from the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The lawmakers, including an ally of former Governor Abdul’aziz, said they decided to leave the party over insecurity, alleged injustice and other issues affecting the wellbeing of the people.
In a statement announcing their decision, the lawmakers said they could no longer remain in a political party which, according to them, had failed to provide adequate security for citizens.
They expressed dissatisfaction with what they described as the party’s inability to address challenges confronting the state, particularly the worsening security situation.
The lawmakers who resigned include Hon. Aliyu Ango Kagara, representing Talata Mafara South; Hon. Ibrahim Tukur Bakura, representing Bakura; Hon. Faruk Musa Dosara, representing Maradun I; and Hon. Barrister Bashir Abubakar Masama, representing Bukkuyum North.
Others are Hon. Muktaru Nasiru Kaura (Kaura North), Hon. Nasiru Abdullahi (Maru North), Hon. Bashar Bello (Bungudu West), and Hon. Bashar Aliyu (Gummi I).
Their resignation adds to the growing political developments within Zamfara APC, where internal disagreements and realignments have continued to shape the political landscape ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Report says the lawmakers did not immediately disclose their next political destination.
When contacted, the state APC publicity secretary, Hon. Ibrahim Danmadamin Birnin Magaji, said the party at the state level was yet to be officially notified.
“We are still waiting for their correspondence from their respective political wards after reaching their local government executives, which would later be forwarded to us,” Danmadamin said.
He added that the party had only seen the resignation letters on social media platforms like other members of the public.
“We all saw it on social media platforms, but whenever we receive the copies officially, we would communicate with you on our stand,” the party publicity secretary said.
Responding to questions on whether the development was linked to an internal crisis within the party, Danmadami said the APC was not aware of any grievances until it received copies of the resignation letters.
On their part, the resigned lawmakers accused Governor Dauda Lawal’s administration of failing to give adequate attention to insecurity affecting rural communities.
Kagara further said they decided to leave the APC because the party had failed to properly address insecurity and had allegedly turned down their earlier agreements.
“What we are challenging Governor Lawal’s administration about is even worse now compared to previous times, so we have seen no reason to continue remaining in the APC.
“Our constituents in rural areas who voted us into power to address their security concerns were not being given any attention,” Kagara said.
He also alleged that the lawmakers had gone for 32 months without receiving salaries, allowances and other benefits due to them as elected members of the state House of Assembly.
“This is our 32 months without salary, allowances and other entitlements as honourable members, and the people of Zamfara; the ball is in their court. Whether they enjoy what is happening or not, they are in the best position to take action and they need not to be told,” Kagara said.
A gubernatorial aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Gombe State, Khamisu Ahmed Mailantarki, has declared himself winner of the primary election conducted by the party.
The PDP had earlier on Tuesday conducted a rerun primary election, where Isa Ali Pantami was declared winner by Hon. Johnbull Tiemlong Shekarau-led Committee.
Addressing newsmen shortly after the election results were announced, Mailantarki declared that going by the supreme court judgement, Pantami shouldn’t have participated in the election.
“Therefore, having came second in the election, and going by the supreme court judgement which declared Pantami not eligible to contest the election, I believe that I am the winner of this primary election conducted today by our party.”
According to him, Pantami was still in the APC when they were cleared by the PDP screening committee to contest in the primary election earlier slated for May 26.
He said the election should have been contested by him and the third runner-up, Usman Aliyu Garry.
Mailantarki vowed to reclaim his mandate, even if it takes going through litigation in court.
He declared, “I am ready to go to court, even it if means going to the supreme court to reclaim my victory at the just concluded primary election.”
Recall that Mailantarki’s previous suit triggered the nullification of Pantami’s previous victory as a Federal High Court in Gombe annulled the previous exercise and ordered the conduct of a fresh primary, which held on Tuesday.
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