‘How Yoruba leaders pacified Akintoye over rift with lawyer’

Yomi Alliyu (SAN), the counsel to Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo (also known as Sunday Igboho), yesterday, cautioned one of Adeyemo’s lawyers, Pelumi Olajengbesi, and his spokesman, Olayomi Koiki, not to go beyond their brief.

Olajengbesi had, a couple of days ago, faulted a statement credited to the leader of Ilana Omo Oodua, Prof. Banji Akintoye, who reportedly said governorship elections in Osun and Ekiti States would not hold.

Olajengbesi’s position, however, drew a sharp reaction from Ilana Omo Oodua, leading to the former’s announcement, on Sunday, of his withdrawal from Adeyemo’s legal team.

Alliyu said he only instructed Olajengbesi to secure the release of the 12 people arrested in Adeyemo’s house. He maintained he never involved him in the agitator’s matter and that Olajengbesi had a limited brief

Alliyu said: “My attention has been directed by Chief Sunday Adeyemo, himself, to the online statement of Pelumi Olajengbesi, Esq. that he has resigned from the legal team of Chief Sunday Adeyemo (aka Igboho Oosa).

“I instructed Pelumi Olajengbesi to secure the release of the 12 people arrested in Chief Sunday Adeyemo’s house. I never involved him in Chief Sunday Adeyemo’s matter. Thus, he has a limited brief.

“He is at no time counsel to Chief Adeyemo but rather Ilana Oodua that paid him for services he rendered to them. Whether he could turn around to condemn the arrowhead of those who paid him depends on his conscience. He knows I turned down their wish to pay me for professional services to Chief Sunday Igboho.”

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) also faulted the statement of Akintoye on the 2022 governorship elections, saying: “Let it be on record that I also condemn the statement of Baba, Prof. Akintoye, that there will not be elections in Ekiti and Osun States. Justice is not one-way traffic but three-way! One for them, one for the public and another for the government.”

He urged Nigerians to disregard both Olajengbesi and Koiki, stressing that he is the “only person authorised”, in writing, by Adeyemo to act and make statements on the agitator’s behalf. He, consequently, urged the duo to be guided accordingly.

“I seize this opportunity to plead with members of the public to disregard whatever Pelumi Olajengbesi, Esq. or Mr. Koiki stated to have purportedly emanated from Chief Sunday Adeyemo. They lack the vires to so do!” Alliyu added.

MEANWHILE, Communications Manager to Akintoye, Maxwell Adeleye, yesterday, claimed Olajengbesi phoned his principal to apologise for his social media outburst of December 31, 2021.

According to Adeleye, “Many prominent Yoruba leaders also phoned Prof. Akintoye to apologise on behalf of Olajengbesi.”

He said: “Mr. Olajengbesi called Prof. Akintoye, this morning (yesterday), to apologise, and Baba Akintoye has graciously forgiven him. He also instructed that all Yoruba Nation self-determination movements all over the world should forgive him.”

guardian.ng