The police on Tuesday arraigned a 53-year-old lawyer, Wale Omolegbon Odusola, before a Magistrate Court in Akure for allegedly verbally and psychologically abusing Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa on social media.

Odusola was accused of using his Facebook page to launch attacks on the governor, claiming that he had neglected his duties and failed to prioritise the needs of his constituency.

Odusola, who pleaded not guilty to the three count charges, was alleged to have engaged in an extramarital affair with the state’s Finance Commissioner, Mrs Wunmi Isaac.

The lawyer was brought before the Magistrate Court for posting a video on his Facebook page which the governor alleged defamed his character and reputation.

The charge read: “That you, Wale Omolegbon Odusola, on the 7th day of February, 2025, at about 2.00pm within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did cause emotional, verbal, and psychological abuse on the name of the Governor of Ondo State, His Excellency Honourable Lucky Orimisan Ayedaiwa, to hatred and ridicule by posting a video on your Facebook page accusing him of failing to be parochial and neglecting his constituency and also insinuating that the governor is engaged in an extramarital affair with Finance Commissioner Mrs Wunmi Isaac, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 15 (1)(2) of the laws of Ondo State of Nigeria 2021.

“That you, Wale Omolegbon Odusola, on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District, did injure the reputation of the Governor of Ondo State, His Excellency Honourable Lucky Orimisan Ayedatiwa, by posting a video on your Facebook page accusing him of failing to be parochial and neglecting his constituency and also insinuating that the governor is engaged in an extramarital affair with his Finance Commissioner Mrs Wunmi Isaac, thus exposing him to hatred, contempt, or ridicule, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 373 of the Criminal Code Cap 37 Vol.1 laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.

“That you, Wale Omolegbon Odusola, on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District, did circulate or publish to the general public by posting a video on your Facebook page accusing the Governor of Ondo State, His Excellency Honourable Lucky Orimisan Ayedatiwa, of failing to be parochial and neglecting his constituency and also insinuating that the governor is engaged in an extramarital affair with his Finance Commissioner Mrs Wunmi Isaac with intent to cause the Governor of Ondo State, Honourable Lucky Orimisan Ayedatiwa, insult, enmity, and exposing him to hatred and ridicule of the general public, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 24 (a)(b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, etc) Act laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2006.”

The Prosecutor, DSP 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.

However, Magistrate Sunday Adedapo granted Odusola bail on self-recognition and adjourned the case until May 25, 2025, for further hearing.

Meanwhile, a lawyer and human rights activist, Tope Temokun, has described the arraignment of Odusola on the alleged cyberbullying as a misplaced priority by the governor.

Temokun, in a press statement signed by him, said Governor Aiyedatiwa should have ignored Odusola over the alleged criticism rather than criminalising the issues.

Temokun’s statement read: “While I will refrain from commenting on the substance of the charge in court, I will simply say that since the assumption of that exalted office of the governor of Ondo State, your character has become a public property and you must develop a thick skin if you don’t have one, for hot and unfriendly criticism from the people whose mandate you are holding.

“For a governor who was catapulted unexpectedly by fate to become a governor and who just got elected and is awaiting inauguration this week to be so bothered about criticism from a citizen and quickly tooling up the law to stifle freedom of expression is to me a priority misplaced.

“Democracy must admit of dissenting voices, and the business of governance is too serious for any man who has not started anything we can point at to be filing a criminal complaint against a citizen on Facebook video, of all things. What a petty approach to governance.

“I hereby condemn this act of criminalisation of criticism by the governor of Ondo State and advise immediately that the governor withdraw this criminal complaint and shift his focus to the 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 the saddle only likes songs of praise.

“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,” Temokun said. (Nigerian Tribune)