Lawyer and public affairs commentator, Sola Ajisafe, Esq., has denied allegations by the Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, and the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Kayode Ajulo, SAN, that he has been receiving briefs from the state Ministry of Justice.
In a statement issued on Sunday, July 22, 2026, Ajisafe said the governor had repeatedly claimed at meetings in Abuja and Akure that Ajulo was “giving him briefs from the Ministry,” a claim he described as a complete falsehood aimed at maligning his person and discrediting his advocacy.
“For the avoidance of doubt and for the records, I categorically state that I have NEVER received any brief, contract, consultancy, or financial engagement from the Office of the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Ondo State, under the administration of Mr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, or under Mr. Kayode Ajulo, SAN, or any administration before them,” he said.
Ajisafe added that he had never had any contract or financial relationship with any Government of Ondo State, including during the tenures of former Attorneys General Remi Olatubora, SAN, Kola Olawoye, SAN, and Charles Titiloye, SAN, despite personal and professional ties with them.
He said he and the governor had been supporters of the late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, since 2012, but parted ways during Aiyedatiwa’s tenure as Acting Governor and his bid to succeed Akeredolu, noting that his opposition was within his constitutional right.
The lawyer said he and Ajulo had maintained an intellectual disagreement since Ajulo’s time in the Mimiko administration, adding that they had never had any professional or official relationship.
Ajisafe disclosed that between the period in question and now, he had made 32 radio appearances, 11 television appearances, and published about 63 opinions criticising the governor, the Attorney General’s office and the state government.
“I understand this may annoy or lead to resentment by the Governor and his Attorney General. But to descend to the level of blackmail and lies is unacceptable and intolerable,” he stated.
He challenged the governor and the Attorney General to publish details of the alleged brief or contract, including the parties involved, subject matter and amount paid.
“My advocacy is not a chattel to be purchased. My conscience is not for sale,” Ajisafe said, adding that no amount of lies and blackmail would deter him from his “consistent, ideological, and responsible agitation.”
Read the full Statement below:
REBUTTAL OF MALICIOUS ALLEGATIONS BY THE GOVERNOR OF ONDO STATE AND MR. KAYODE AJULO, SAN
My attention has been drawn to statements repeatedly made by His Excellency, the Governor of Ondo State, Mr. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, at various meetings in official quarters both in Abuja and Ondo State, and to several individuals who approached him in a bid to reconcile perceived differences between us.
In those meetings, the Governor stated, and attributed to Mr. Kayode Ajulo, SAN, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of Ondo State, that he did not expect me to be engaging in public advocacy and criticism of his government because, according to him, “the Attorney General has been giving me briefs from the Ministry.”
For the avoidance of doubt and for the records, I categorically state as follows:
- I have NEVER received any brief, contract, consultancy, or financial engagement from the Office of the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Ondo State, under the administration of Mr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, or under Mr. Kayode Ajulo, SAN, or any administration before them.
- I have NEVER had any contract or financial relationship with ANY Government of Ondo State.
- Even during the tenures of my respected colleagues and friends: Dr. Remi Olatubora, SAN; Mr. Kola Olawoye, SAN; and Mr. Charles Titiloye, SAN, who all served as Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Ondo State, I never received any brief, consultancy, or payment from the Ministry. This is despite the personal and professional relationship I share with them.
The statements credited to the Governor and attributed to the Attorney General are therefore a complete falsehood calculated to malign my person, impugn my integrity, and discredit my advocacy.
It is a statement of fact that myself and the Governor shared a relationship as followers and supporters of the Late Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN since 2012. This relationship remained throughout his period as Deputy Governor. We parted ways during his tenure as Acting Governor and his quest to succeed Akeredolu. It is on record that I was at the forefront of the struggle against his ambition, which is a legitimate right guaranteed to me under the laws of Nigeria.
Myself and Mr. Kayode Ajulo, SAN have been involved in intellectual disagreement since his presence in the Mimiko government. We have maintained a cat-and-mouse relationship based on shared historical matters which we have always discussed. We have never had any professional, or official relationship.
Let it also be placed on record that, from the period stated above to date, I have had 32 radio appearances, 11 television appearances, and published about 63 opinions about the Governor, the Office of the Attorney General, and the Government of Ondo State in various media. I understand this may annoy or lead to resentment by the Governor and his Attorney General. But to descend to the level of blackmail and lies is unacceptable and intolerable.
I was involved in over three years of advocacy during the period of ” Gbasibe”, I did not “Gba” anything. I was here and participated in the first term of Aketi, I maintained a clean slate. I opposed Aketi when he perpetrated/supported an illegality in the politics of my federal Constituency. I was in the forefront of the agitation to the Court of Appeal and it’s eventual political resolution. I never soiled my hands. How can I at this juncture engage in a nefarious and disgraceful conduct of subterfuge? Ka ma ri ni Paul wi.
Let it be placed on record:
My advocacy is not a chattel to be purchased. My conscience is not for sale.
I have remained within my means. I do not ask for too much and I do not seek for too much.
I have no personal political ambition that requires me to be anybody’s lackey. I have no challenge that makes me a boi-boi to anyone, living or dead. Not now, not in the hereafter.
I hereby CHALLENGE His Excellency, the Governor of Ondo State, and Mr. Kayode Ajulo, SAN, to publish for the people of Ondo State and Nigerians:
- The name and details of the alleged brief/case
- The parties involved
- The subject matter
- The amount paid or involved
If it is a contract, let the details of the contract and the amount involved be published.
This campaign of blackmail has been ongoing for some time. I restrained myself out of respect for those who brought the information to me in confidence. However, it has come to a situation where it is taking a life of its own.
While I do not expect them to stop, as I look forward to more insidious and vile attacks as the days go by, I warn that no amount of lies and blackmail will take me away from a life that I have built for decades of consistent, ideological, and responsible agitation.
Truth may walk slowly, but it always arrives. The people and the courts will judge.“
