The controversy over the ancestry of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Ogun State, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, has intensified following a rebuttal by an APC chieftain, Hon. Kayode Oladele.

Oladele, a lawyer, dismissed allegations by a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Ambassador Folake Marcus-Bello, questioning Adeola’s Yewa ancestry as “legally indefensible” and “highly libellous”.

Marcus-Bello, a former Nigerian ambassador to Zambia and Malawi and the PDP Southwest women leader, had challenged Adeola’s claim to Yewa origin during an appearance on Channels Television.

She said she had documents to substantiate her position and called on Adeola to appear before her so that the documents could be examined.

The former ambassador said the documents included the programme of events for the burial of Adeola’s father, which she claimed contained his “Oriki and progeny” and would establish the senator’s ancestry.

But Oladele said the burden of proving the allegation rested on Marcus-Bello.
“Since Marcus-Bello is the one alleging that Senator Adeola is from Ekiti State, the burden is on her to prove the assertion with credible evidence. She cannot simply manufacture an ancestry for another person and then expect that person to disprove her allegation,” he said.

Oladele described Marcus-Bello’s claims as inaccurate and contradictory, insisting that Adeola’s paternal ancestral roots were firmly established in Pahayi and Isaga Orile, in Yewa South and Abeokuta North Local Government respectively

He cited the recent funeral of Chief Michael Adelani Ogundimu, whom he described as the head of Adeola’s family, as evidence of the senator’s family ties to Pahayi.

“Just last weekend, we were all at Pahayi for the funeral of Pa Michael Adelani Ogundimu, the head of Yayi’s family. Senator Adeola was there with his extended family members and, in accordance with the Christian funeral rites, he was the first to perform the final rites at the graveside before Chief Ogundimu’s remains were laid to rest,” Oladele said.

He also argued that Adeola’s birthplace should not be conflated with his ancestry.

“Yayi has never denied being born and raised in Lagos or building his earlier political career there. However, birthplace is a geographical fact; ancestry is a genealogical fact. One does not erase the other,” he said.

On the question of indigeneship, Oladele said Marcus-Bello’s argument was constitutionally flawed.

He rejected her reported suggestion that Ogun State operated a different standard of indigeneship from Lagos State, describing it as “a surprisingly pedestrian constitutional argument”.

“Of course Ogun is not Lagos, but both states, like the other states of the federation, operate under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The constitutional qualifications for election as governor do not change from one state to another. ”

Oladele also criticised what he described as a “xenophobic” dimension to the argument.

“It is surprising that a widely traveled former diplomat has adopted what appears to be a xenophobic political argument.
When we begin to divide Nigerians into those who are sufficiently indigenous to seek elective office and those who are supposedly outsiders, even where they satisfy the Constitution, we are travelling down a dangerous road,” he said.

He recalled that questions over the origins of political candidates had featured in previous governorship contests in Ogun State, citing similar controversies involving former governors Gbenga Daniel, Olusegun Osoba and Ibikunle Amosun.
He noted that all three were subsequently elected by voters in the state.

Oladele said Marcus-Bello’s position was particularly disappointing given her background and experience in public service.
“Ambassador Marcus-Bello is someone I respect a lot for her intelligence, exposure and accomplishments. That is precisely why her argument on this matter is very disappointing,” he said.

Adeola threatens legal action
Meanwhile, Adeola has threatened legal action against Marcus-Bello and another APC member, Hon Abayomi Hunye, over statements he described as false and libellous concerning his origin and family.

“One falsely claimed on TV that I am from Ekiti, and when asked where exactly in Ekiti, went moronically blank and could not provide an answer,” Adeola said.

He described the allegations as an attempt to revive what he called an old political narrative that had previously been used against his senatorial ambition.

Adeola said the alleged campaign had failed in the past, pointing to his election to the Senate by voters in Ogun West in the 2023 National Assembly election.
Adeola is the APC candidate for the 2027 Ogun State governorship election.

The dispute over his ancestry has emerged as one of the issues in the developing political contest between the APC and PDP ahead of the election.

Oladele urged political opponents to focus instead on the records, programmes and qualifications of their candidates.

“If your candidate has a better record, put it before Ogun people. If your candidate has greater capacity or a superior programme, demonstrate it and allow the electorate to decide. ”

He added that the electorate would ultimately determine the outcome of the election.

Oladele also expressed confidence in Adeola’s electoral prospects.
“Notwithstanding all these attacks against him, Senator Adeola will win convincingly in the forthcoming governorship election in Ogun State to the chagrin of the PDP.”

“The people will ultimately decide this election on performance, capacity, competence, and confidence in the candidates,” he said.