The embattled former Chairman of Ijebu East Local Council, Ogun State, Wale Adedayo, may be heading towards political wilderness, considering Governor Dapo Abiodun’s alleged retributive agenda to prosecute him at all cost.

From the way and manner the drama is playing out, he may eventually be disowned by his party – the All Progressives Congress (APC), in addition to his current ‘persecution’ for his effrontery to ‘fight’ the leader of the party that brought him to power.

His arraignment before a Magistrate Court sitting in Abeokuta, the state capital penultimate Tuesday, marked the beginning of another chapter of the frosty relationship between him and Governor Abiodun, since the former accused the latter of diverting federal allocations meant for the 20 local councils in the state.

Adedayo had in a letter addressed to one of the chieftains of the party, Chief Olusegun Osoba, accused the Governor of diversion of funds, prompting an investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Due to the outrage the letter generated, the Governor, who felt embarrassed that a council boss, who emerged under the umbrella of the same ruling party could have the temerity of publicly accusing him, allegedly instigated Adedayo’s removal.

What followed was his suspension by council lawmakers, who accused him of financial misappropriation, followed by his invitation and incarceration by the Department of Security Services (DSS) for three days.

He was later impeached on September 14 by a majority of councillors in the council, leading to his arrest by the Police in Ijebu-Ife. He was then held at the Police headquarters in Eleweran, Abeokuta.

Not many had envisaged that further punishment still awaits the former council boss, especially after his hasty removal from office, until penultimate Monday when he was picked up by the police.

Adedayo announced his arrest in a post on his Facebook page on Monday afternoon, where he stated that he was arrested as a result of a petition allegedly submitted to the police by the state government.

“Son of man is being taken to Ogun State Police CID at Eleweran, Abeokuta. They claim the state government wrote a petition against me. If it is death, I follow the path of the patriarchs. Ase di owo Olodumare! (Authority is in the hands of the creator)”

Just 24 hours after the arrest, he was arraigned for false allegations against the governor. The charges against Adedayo were brought following a petition by the state government titled: “Petition against Wale Adedayo’s deliberate circulation of falsehood, false report to government, threat to life, and interference with the exercise of executive function,” signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Tokunbo Talabi.

Adedayo faces two counts, including the unlawful publication of false accusations against Governor Abiodun. The charges specify that he knew these allegations to be false and likely to cause public disturbance and damage to the governor’s reputation.

During the court proceedings, the defendant’s counsel, Kayode Akinsola, applied for bail, which was not objected to by the prosecutor, Inspector Olaide Rolly.

The Magistrate, A.K Araba, granted bail in a sum of N2m and required two “responsible and reliable sureties” residing within the court’s jurisdiction, possessing landed property with tax clearance.

Adedayo was ordered to be remanded at Ibara Correctional Facility, Abeokuta, pending bail conditions’ fulfillment, as the trial was adjourned to October 20, 2023.

The renewed ‘onslaught’ against Adedayo through his arrest penultimate Monday, followed by his arraignment, came a few days after Governor Abiodun vowed that Adedayo would be held accountable for defaming him.

“There are two things: he (Adedayo) lied against me as the governor; he lied against me as Dapo Abiodun; he spoiled my name; and he tried to incite the public against the government. Wale Adedayo has to answer all these allegations one after the other,” Abiodun said.

Many, within and outside the gateway state had envisaged this scenario would surely play out from the governor’s camp sooner or later. The proponents of this assertion had predicted that irrespective of any intervention or reconciliation moves, Abiodun would definitely take his pound of flesh for Adedayo’s audacity to call him out.

But beyond the alleged planned prosecution, there are signals that Adedayo may soon be thrown out of his party, based on feelers from party sources in the state, considering the hasty manner with which he was suspended and later impeached by his council’s lawmakers, whom they have wined and dined together for over 20 months, only to disown him, just within two weeks.

Adedayo could be likened to the proverbial cat with nine lives, having survived former Governor Otunba Gbenga Daniel’s onslaught against him as the Chief Press Secretary (CPS), after falling out with the former governor.

One of his many sins at the time, was the allegation that he was working against his principal – OGD. He was accused of sponsoring campaigns against the governor by aligning with those opposed to him.

Though, he actually went underground after what many described as a narrow escape, he resurfaced years after to join Abiodun’s political train, where he first served as a consultant and later, a council boss till his letter surfaced.

The Guardian confirmed from sources within the party that the matter is likely to escalate than expected based on the lingering suspicion that there is more to Adedayo’s letter than the issue of federal allocation.

While some claim that there might be some iota of truth in Adedayo’s allegations, others say he is being used by Abiodun’s detractors, especially those within the party fold, whom he allegedly used to get to power but sidelined in the scheme of things, especially sharing of offices and entitlements.

Irrespective of diverse opinions, political analysts disclosed that the imbroglio is political and might need to be handled with caution, to avoid any situation that might throw the party and entire state to tumult.

The Human Rights Monitoring Agenda (HURMA) and other Civil Society Organisations, under the auspices of Civil Society Coalition in Defence of Democracy Society, in a petition to the State House of Assembly, warned that the situation in the state, if allowed to degenerate, is capable of undermining democracy and public peace.

In the petition addressed to the Assembly Speaker, Olakunle Oluomo, the group said the prevailing situation is casting the state in bad light.

“We wish to emphasise that political persecution of individuals has no place in democracy and should not be condoned under whatever guise. The prevailing situation cast the Gateway State in bad light and must therefore be addressed by OGHA in exercise of its powers under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

The group said it was worried by the continued harassment of Adedayo, whose impeachment was allegedly orchestrated by the governor.

“We are disturbed that OGHA appears to have abdicated its oversight functions by failing to investigate the allegations made by Adedayo with respect to the diversion of public funds so as to ascertain the veracity of his claims as expected under a democratic setting.

“To this extent, we consider the harassment and persecution of Adedayo by Governor Dapo Abiodun as a flagrant abuse of power that ought not to be tolerated. We therefore condemn continued harassment of Adedayo whose allegations of financial impropriety against Governor Dapo Abiodun is neither yet to be investigated nor adjudged to be fallacious.

“It reeks of abuse of power to ignore issues relating to financial impropriety by deploying intimidation and persecution by security agencies. We condemn any form of politically-motivated persecution, vindictiveness and executive lawlessness which undermine democracy and corrode the political space as presently being witnessed in Ogun State.”

But the Chief Consultant to the Governor on Media, Mr. Kayode Akinmade, said Adedayo’s allegation against the Governor was politically motivated. He claimed that the embattled former council boss was out to tarnish the image of the governor.

Akinmade, who disclosed this on a current affairs programme on radio, said: “It is sad that both the Governor and Adedayo are from the same party. He couldn’t have written the letter without any reason. He had worked as a journalist and he understands the principle that ‘if you are in doubt, you leave out.’ Nigerians will be wondering why Adedayo is lying.

“Most of what we do, we put politics into it. Wale Adedayo is one of those loved by the governor. He was one of the Governor’s consultants when he came on board, till he showed interest in becoming the local council boss. They had good relationship, the imbroglio is not ordinary.

“We should all be truthful in whatever we do. Adedayo should have backed his claims with evidences. He should defend all the allegations; inability to do so, the right punishment under the law will come on him.”

A legal luminary, Lateef Arigbabuwo, who quoted Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution, said the governor is innocent of the allegations leveled against him, until it is proven otherwise by the court of law.

He, however, noted that there were a couple of actions taken by the governor, especially the incarceration of the embattled former governor by the DSS, noting that the action was unconstitutional as the DSS doesn’t have any power to invite or detain him but the police.

“In this kind of scenario, justice must prevail, the Governor should be given fair hearing, also the camp of the Governor should give Adedayo a fair hearing, he might have strong evidences to back his allegations,” he said.