By Alaba Olusola Oke
The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Ondo State, Dr Kayode Ajulo has described allegations against Gov. Lucky Aiyedatiwa on All Progressives Congress ( APC) primaries as malicious and criminal.
The News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) reports that the APC in the state concluded its primaries, allegedly marred with irregularities, to choose its candidates for the National Assembly and State House of Assembly seats.
Ajulo, in a statement on Thursday in Akure, said that Aiyedatiwa did not use state machinery to influence the outcome of the party’s primaries as being alleged.
He said the accusations in some quarters were “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 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,” he stated.
Ajulo expressed deep concerns over the campaign of calumny against the governor, describing the allegations as patently false and carrying grave criminal liabilities.
“It is deeply disturbing to me that all the allegations levelled against Aiyedatiwa and the state government are patently false and malicious,” he said.
He attributed the allegation on the governor as a mere attack in form of “transferred aggression”, noting that some individuals whose political aspirations were not met had 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.
“It is no gainsaying that the governor 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 local government areas,” he stated.
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 complied fully with the APC Constitution and the Electoral Act 2022 (Section 84), which permits 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.”
He urged aggrieved aspirants to channel their concerns through the party’s internal mechanisms rather than resort to media attacks.
The attorney-general urged all APC members and residents of the state to remain united, and focused on good governance, and ignore baseless propaganda.
Ajulo strongly reaffirmed his support for the Aiyedatiwa’s leadership, and warned that the law would be applied against those peddling falsehoods.( NAN)
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