Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has distanced himself from cybercrime charges filed against Wale Odusola, a lawyer for criticising the state’s 2025 budget on Facebook.
The Governor made the clarification, following Odusola’s arraignment on Tuesday before a Chief Magistrate’s Court in Oke-Eda, Akure, where he was charged with cyberstalking, defamation, and inciting public hatred against the governor.
The move also came after the case, which began with the police inviting Mr Odusola for interrogation on Monday, drew a barrage of criticism of the police and the governor for being intolerant of dissenting views.
In a statement on Tuesday, the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Ebenezer Adeniyan, distanced Mr Aiyedatiwa from the case, insisting the governor neither authorised nor instigated the legal action.
“The attention of the Governor of Ondo State has been drawn to the petition which attempts to bring Barrister Wale Omolegbon Odusola’s Facebook criticism to serious scrutiny and prosecution for cyberbullying by the police authority.
“It is necessary to state unequivocally that Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa has no hand in it. The Governor did not commission anyone to petition the police against any citizen who criticises him or his administration,” he said.
He added that the governor has directed the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice to take over the case and drop the charges.
The police had charged and arraigned Mr Odusola before the Chief Magistrate for Cyber bullying.
The police accused him of cyberstalking, defamation, and inciting public hatred against Governor Aiyedatiwa through a Facebook video he posted on 11 February.
In the video, Odusola criticised the 2025 Ondo State budget, alleging it marginalised the Ilaje Local Government Area, an oil-producing region that is also the governor’s constituency.
Speaking in Ilaje, his native language, he pointed out that while Owo, the hometown of the late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, received 12 infrastructure projects worth N3 billion, Ilaje was allocated just one road project valued at N100 million.
“Marginalisation is real, and calling it out is not a crime,” Mr Odusola said in the video. “We will not be silenced.”
Mr Odusola pleaded not guilty to the charges on Tuesday, and the court, afterwards, adjourned the trial until 5 May.
Police charges
The police alleged in the charges they filed on Tuesday that Mr Odusola’s remarks constituted cyber harassment, causing the governor “emotional and psychological abuse” and exposing him to hatred and ridicule.
They further accused him of defaming Governor Aiyedatiwa by claiming he had neglected his constituency and engaged in an extramarital affair with the state’s Finance Commissioner, Wunmi Isaac.
The police further alleged that Mr Odusola’s video was intended to incite public disaffection against the governor.
The charges were brought under Section 15(1)(2) of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act (VAP) of Ondo State, Section 373 of the Criminal Code of Ondo State, and Section 24(a)(b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition) Act of the Federation of Nigeria.
However, Mr Odusola pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The police sought to have him remanded in Olokuta prison in Akure, but the magistrate granted him bail on self-recognition.
The trial was adjourned to 5 May.
