The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of Ondo State, Dr Kayode Ajulo, OON, SAN, says Governor, Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa did not use state machinery to influence the outcome of the on-going All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries.
In a statement released on Thursday in Akure, the state’s Chief Law Officer described the accusations in some quarters as “baseless, malicious, and bereft of any iota of evidence,” insisting that such allegations stemmed from frustrated political ambitions rather than facts.
The Attorney General, while emphasising his statutory responsibility to protect the government and the rule of law, described such allegations against the State Governor as deeply disturbing and malicious
“As the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of Ondo State, and by virtue of the sacred mandate vested in me under Section 211 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), it is not merely my right but my profound constitutional duty to defend the Government, its institutions, and the rule of law against unfounded attacks. It is equally my sacred responsibility to ensure that every action of the government I serve is firmly rooted in justice, fairness, equity, and the unwavering principles of the rule of law.”
Dr Ajulo expressed deep concern over the campaign of calumny against Governor Aiyedatiwa, describing the allegations as patently false and carrying grave criminal liabilities.
“It is deeply disturbing to me… that all the allegations levelled against Governor Aiyedatiwa and the state government are patently false and malicious,” he stated.
According to him, the orchestrated falsehood became obvious as not a single one of these allegations has been substantiated with any credible evidence even in this age of advanced technology and pervasive social media,
He attributed the attacks to “transferred aggression, noting that some individuals whose political aspirations were not met have resorted to vilifying the Governor and the government.”
“This shall not stand. The full instrumentality of government and the law will be deployed to legally address these infractions in accordance with the dictates of justice,” the Attorney General warned.
The Chief Law Officer highlighted Governor Aiyedatiwa’s massive popularity, citing his historic victory in the November 16, 2024 gubernatorial election as one of the examples
of the Governor’s record-breaking popularity.
“It is no gainsaying that Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa commands the deepest respect, admiration, and affection of the entire populace of Ondo State. He polled the historic and record-shattering figure of 366,781 votes — the highest ever secured by any gubernatorial candidate in the annals of our State — defeating his closest rival with 117,845 votes and sweeping all 18 Local Government Areas.”
The Attorney General maintained that the APC primaries followed due process and were rooted in extensive consultations.
He explained that the preferred candidates emerged from “extensive negotiations” and broad-based stakeholder engagements, culminating in ratification by 10 respected leaders from each of the 18 Local Government Areas.
The process, he said, complied fully with the APC Constitution and the Electoral Act 2022 (Section 84), which permit consensus arrangements when properly conducted.
“Far from any government imposition, this is democracy in its consultative and inclusive form, designed to foster unity and spare our party the bitterness of divisive primaries,” the AG noted.
He urged aggrieved aspirants to channel their concerns through the party’s internal mechanisms rather than resort to media attacks.
The Attorney General called on all APC members and residents of Ondo State to remain united, focused on good governance, and ignore baseless propaganda.
The state’s chief law officer strongly reaffirmed his support for Governor Aiyedatiwa’s leadership, and warned that the law will be applied against those peddling falsehoods.
Ondo APC primaries: Allegations against Gov Aiyedatiwa false, malicious, criminal- AG Ajulo
