Police summon lawyer after his video criticisng Ondo’s 2025 budget

The police in Ondo State, South-west Nigeria, have invited a lawyer, Wale Odusola, after he picked holes in the state government’s 2025 budget for allegedly marginalising his part of the state, where Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa also hails from.

The lawyer, speaking in his native Ilaje language in the earlier video he posted on Facebook on 11 February, expressed disappointment about alleged poor allocation of projects in the 2025 budget for infrastructural projects in Ilaje Local Government Area, which is the key oil producing area of the state.

On Thursday, Mr Odusola announced in a Facebook video post that the police had invited him over a petition accusing him of conduct likely to cause breach of peace.

The lawyer, who shared the police letter of invitation in the post on his Facebook wall, said although the author of the said petition written against him or the specific allegations were not disclosed by the police, he believed it was “not unconnected” with his past video.

“This office is investigating a case of conduct likely to cause breach of peace, which is a subject of petition in my office and your name was featured,” the letter read in part.

The officer-in-charge of the Special Operations Squad of the police in the state, Adeganya Oyekanmi, who signed the letter, asked the lawyer to appear at the police office in Akure at 10 a.m. on Monday, 17 February.

Displeasure about budget

In his 11 February video on Facebook, Mr Odusola noted that Ilaje and Ikale communities were marginalised in the allocation of projects in the state’s 2025 budget.

He said whereas, Owo, where the late former Governor Rotimi Akeredolu hailed from, received 12 projects worth approximately N3 billion, Ilaje was allocated only one road project valued at N100 million.

“Marginalisation is real, and calling it out is not a crime,” Mr Odusola noted. “We will not be silenced.”

He expressed concern that if Governor Aiyedatiwa failed to take advantage of his position as the first governor of the 47-year-old state to come from Ilaje, the Ilaje people may never have such a chance again.

“I have no intention of fighting with the Ondo State Governor, Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, but as someone from Ilaje and Ikale, I need to express my concerns. Since I do not have direct access to him, I am using Facebook to share my views, hoping they will reach him.

“The opportunity we have in Ilaje and Ikale must not be wasted. All we want is development in our state,” Sahara Reporters quoted him as saying.

He also criticised an alleged move by the Attorney-General of the state, Kayode Ajulo, to introduce cybercrime law in the state.

Mr Odusola said Mr Ajulo disclosed the plan to the National Executive Council (NEC) of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).

“Those pushing for cyberstalking or cybercrime law can proceed, but the people will not accept it. Ondo and Ekiti people are well-educated and know their rights,” Sahara Reporters quoted him as saying.

“This means that in Ondo State, expressing concerns on Facebook could lead to arrest and prosecution. When I read this, I laughed at first. If such a law is introduced, it will be an attempt to suppress freedom of speech. The same law that the federal government uses to silence critics is now being brought to Ondo State,” the lawyer said.

ALSO READ: Why we raised 2025 budget by N43.4billion – Ondo assembly

He vowed that he would not be gagged, as it was within his right to complain about marginalisation.

“We have a right to agitate against marginalisation—it is not a crime. The fact that Ilaje has been marginalised is a reality, and we have the right to speak out. That is freedom of speech. As long as I am not spreading falsehoods, I am protected,” he said.