Court grants Ekiti APC aspirant bail, adjourns blackmail case

An Ekiti State Chief Magistrates’ Court, Ado Ekiti District, on Thursday, adjourned a case against an All Progressives Congress governorship aspirant in Ekiti State, Abimbola Olawumi, till July 28.

The Chief Magistrate, Abayomi Adeosun, who granted bail for Olawumi on self-recognition as a senior citizen, said, “The matter is hereby adjourned till July 28, 2026 for hearing.”

The police had dragged Olawumi to court on four charges bordering on alleged blackmail, bullying and threatening messages on social media to the Chief Executive Officer of YSJ Farms, Mrs Yemisi Joluwe, and two others.

The Police Legal Officer, Samson Osobu, in the charges, stated that “You, Abimbola Olajumoke Olawumi, did knowingly and intentionally bring false accusation against Mrs Yemisi Samuel Joluwe when you state that she has embezzled Ekiti State government money, without any justification for your statement, thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 106 of Criminal Law of Ekiti State 2021.”

He also accused Olawumi that she, sometimes in March 2026, knowingly and intentionally transmitted communication on social media platforms (Facebook and TikTok) without any authority, posted the photograph and address of Joluwe, Mr Adeleke Ajibade and Mrs Okewale Olayemi with a threatening message, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 398 of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State 2021.

Olawumi pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against her.

Counsel for the defendant, Mr Odunayo Okunade, had urged the court to exercise its discretion in favour of his client, describing the charges as bailable offences.

Okunade said, “They are all bailable offences, and this court is empowered to grant these types of prayers. She is a senior citizen of this state and was one of the contestants for the office of the governor in Ekiti State. We urge the court to grant her bail.”

The defendant’s counsel, in a chat with journalists, described the matter as political persecution and executive recklessness as he appealed to the Federal Government to intervene in the matter in the interest of Ekiti and justice.

Speaking with journalists after she was granted bail, Olawumi, who hailed the chief magistrate for the bail, accused the state government of victimising her and her family in the matter and in various ways.

The defendant said that she was allegedly “abducted” on her way from the Federal Court of Appeal to the Supreme Court in Abuja on Wednesday by men of the Rapid Response Squad from Ekiti State Police Command.

She stated, “They said they were taking me to the nearest police station, but they did not stop at any of the police stations until we got to Ado Ekiti.

“It was around 10 pm yesterday at the police station in Ado Ekiti that they brought Yemisi Joluwe that she was the complainant against me.

“When I asked of the crime that I had committed against her, she mentioned some things. This matter is already in court.

“The civil aspect is in court, being handled at the Federal High Court in Abuja, and the criminal aspect of it is being investigated by the office of the Inspector General of Police. So it is out of the jurisdiction of the police in Ekiti.

“I’m appealing to Nigerians and to everyone, even to President Bola Tinubu, that they should please have mercy and save me from the government of Ekiti State which has been intimidating and harassing my family and me,” Olawumi said.

Earlier on Thursday, the Ekiti State Government clarified that it was not involved in the arrest in Abuja on Wednesday of the Ekiti APC governorship aspirant.

The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dayo Apata (SAN), said in a statement, “The Ekiti State Government categorically denies any involvement in the alleged abduction or police arrest or detention of Mrs Abimbola Olajumoke Olawumi, stating clearly that the state had no hand in the matter.

“The Ekiti State Government did not order or know anything about police action regarding Mrs Olawumi.

“Ekiti State Government under the current democratic dispensation obeys the rule of law and respects the personal liberty and freedom of all citizens.

“The law enforcement agencies carry out their duties separately without any control from the state government.

“We advise the public and the media to ignore false stories linking the Ekiti State government to this arrest,” the AG stated.