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A 53-year-old lawyer, Wale Odusola, has been docked before an Akure Magistrate’s Court, Ondo State, for alleged verballing and psychologically abusing Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa on social media.
Odusola was accused of using his Facebook page to criticise the governor, alleging that he had failed to act in a parochial manner and had neglected his constituency.
According to the charge sheet, the lawyer also accused the governor of engaging in an extramarital affair with the state’s Finance Commissioner, Mrs. Wunmi Isaac.
The Police prosecutor, Ayodeji Aderintoye, argued that Odusola’s actions were capable of inciting public unrest and defaming the governor’s reputation, contravening several laws, including the Cybercrime (Prohibition, etc.) Act.
Odusola offences contravene Section 15 (1)(2) of the laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2021; Section 373 of the Criminal Code Cap 37, Vol. 1, Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006; and Section 24 (a)(b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, etc.) Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.
Odusola, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges. His lawyers led by Olusola Ebiseni, urged the court to grant him bail.
Ebiseni said the alleged offence was bailable and that their client was ready to meet all conditions.
The trail Magistrate Sunday Adedap, thereby granted Odusola bail on self-recognition and adjourned the case till May 5, 2025, for further hearing.
Meanwhile, a lawyer and rights activist, Tope Temokun, has criticised the governor for taking on a lawyer and his kinsman. Temokun, describing the governor action as a misplaced priority.
He said: “For a governor who was catapulted unexpectedly by fate to become a governor and who just got elected and awaiting inauguration this week to be so bothered about a criticism from a citizen and quickly tooling up the law to stifle freedom of expression is to me is a priority misplaced.
“Democracy must admit dissenting voices and business of governance is too serious for any man who has not started anything we can point at to be filing criminal complaint against a citizen on facebook video, of all things. What a petty approach to governance.
“I condemn this act of criminalization of criticism by the governor of Ondo State and advise immediately that the governor withdraw this criminal complaint and shift his focus on serious business of governance which should be his priority now and be more concerned about what legacy he is going to leave behind after his tenure expires.”
The time is very short and the time begins to run now.
“The governor must acknowledge that he is just the lucky one, many of us are qualified to occupy that position and so we will not put cello tape on our lips just because the person in saddle only likes songs of praises.
“We are all stakeholders in the state and we will not leave the governor to run the business of the state by sheer wishes. We will put the governor on his toes every second for the task of good governance and for the good of our people.”
