Kunle ‘Wizeman’ Ajayi, the gubernatorial candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), has called for the immediate release of Mr. Banji Orogbemi, a prominent member of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), who was recently arrested for allegedly criticizing the administration of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa. In a fiery statement issued on Monday, Ajayi condemned Orogbemi’s detention, accusing the governor of using authoritarian tactics to silence opposition voices in Ondo State.
Ajayi, who is a known critic of the Aiyedatiwa administration, described Orogbemi’s arrest as unjust and a direct violation of the right to free speech. He warned that such actions are becoming a hallmark of Governor Aiyedatiwa’s regime, which he labeled tyrannical and dictatorial.
“For the umpteenth time, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa is showing his tyrannical tendencies. The arrest and subsequent detention of Mr. Banji Orogbemi is an anomaly and he must be released immediately,” Ajayi’s statement read.
He further alleged that this was not the first time Governor Aiyedatiwa has resorted to heavy-handed tactics to suppress dissent. Ajayi recalled his own arrest, along with six others, during an August protest against bad governance in the state. He accused the governor of trying to intimidate citizens and political opponents through unlawful arrests, only to backtrack when faced with public outrage.
The AAC candidate also slammed Governor Aiyedatiwa for mismanaging public funds, citing a controversial ₦775 million expenditure on renovating the fence of the government house, while, according to Ajayi, over 26,000 children in the state remain out of school. Ajayi further claimed that after he exposed this, the governor sent thugs to harass him.
Ajayi did not stop at calling for Orogbemi’s release but also criticized the Ondo State police and judiciary for allegedly collaborating with the governor to repress political and social freedoms. “We condemn the police and judiciary for collaborating with the governor to rob people of their social and political rights,” Ajayi said.
The AAC, alongside the NNPP, has vowed to take both political and legal action against what they describe as a growing culture of repression under Governor Aiyedatiwa’s leadership. Ajayi also urged the people of Ondo State to rally behind Orogbemi and demand his immediate release, stating, “Ondo State is a democratic state, and we can never allow some baby Hitlers to destroy this.”
The arrest of Orogbemi has sparked outrage among opposition groups and civil society in Ondo State, who see it as part of a broader pattern of government crackdown on dissent. Protests are expected to intensify in the coming days as political parties and activists continue to push for his release and challenge the governor’s actions.
The statement by Ajayi has further heightened tensions in the state, which is already politically charged in the run-up to the 2024 gubernatorial elections.
Governor Aiyedatiwa’s administration has yet to respond to these latest allegations, but the political climate in Ondo State remains tense as opposition groups unite in their calls for justice and accountability.