“The Real Controversy About Senator Yayi's State Of Origin”

The debate over Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as YAYI, and his 2027 governorship ambition in Ogun State has been deliberately misinterpreted by his defenders.

The issue is NOT his state of origin.

The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria does not stop anyone from becoming a governor because he is not an indigene of that state. Section 177 is clear: if you are a Nigerian citizen, have attained 35 years, are a member of a political party, and have been educated up to school certificate level, and you have resided in that state for five years, you are qualified.

So, that Yayi hails from Ekiti State and wants to be Governor of Ogun State is not the issue. Anyone can govern anywhere if the people accept him.

THE REAL ISSUE IS PERJURY - LYING ON OATH

The point is that Yayi himself, by his own hand, claimed Ekiti State. In his own INEC nomination forms - Form CF001 which every candidate fills and swears to on oath - Senator Yayi himself wrote Ekiti State as his state of origin. Today, when it is politically convenient, he says he is from Ogun State. He says it is not true that he is from Ekiti.

That is perjury. Lying on oath. A grave and punishable criminal offence under our laws. That is the issue. It is not where Yayi is really from that matters now, it is the act of lying on oath.

Those defending Yayi should know that the courts are not sentimental and do not decide cases on emotions or political popularity. It is not the duty of the court to determine whether a man is truly from State A or State B. The courts will determine one simple thing: *Did a man swear to two contradictory oaths? Did he lie under oath?*

WHY THIS CASE IS DIFFERENT FROM OTHERS

The defenders of Yayi have been running from pillar to post, citing previous cases. They mention Otunba Gbenga Daniel of Ogun State who was alleged by his opponents to have hailed from Delta State and still became governor of Ogun State. They also mention the case of the incumbent President and Commander-in-Chief, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, alleged to be from Iragbiji in Osun State and became Governor of Lagos State.

These analogies have completely failed. And here is why:

Even if Gbenga Daniel and Bola Tinubu are truly from those different states as alleged, they NEVER for once claimed those states in their INEC forms. They consistently claimed Ogun and Lagos respectively. Therefore, they did not lie on oath. They are not guilty of perjury. There was no contradiction in their sworn declarations.

Yayi's case is fatal and different.

DOUBLE PERJURY

Certified True Copies obtained from INEC have exposed the contradiction.

In one document, he claimed Ekiti State.

In another document, he claimed Lagos State.

In another document, he now claims Ogun State.

Only one can be correct. It is impossible for a man to have three states of origin. This means he has lied on oath at least twice. Double perjury!!!.

You cannot swear to three different origins under oath and expect the law to look away. An oath is sacred. Our Constitution was built on truth.

The question before Ogun people and before the judiciary is simple: Is a man who is facing weighty allegations of double perjury, with INEC certified documents as evidence, fit to be Governor of Ogun State?

Let us wait for the courts to decide if committing perjury twice is a befitting credential for a man who wants to lead Ogun State in 2027.

- Victor Agaga writes from Mowe, Ogun State