Foundation for Investigative Journalism

Lamidi Oyewale and Asimiyu Atanda, Oyomesi chiefs, have told Nigeria’s anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that Lukman Gbadegesin offered each of the five kingmakers ₦15 million during the Alaafin selection process.

S.M. Galadanchi, the EFCC counsel, told a high court in Oyo State that Atanda and Oyewale had admitted to the EFCC that the kingmakers decided to choose Lukman Gbadegesin as Alaafin Candidate after he offered them N15 million each.

This was before the court rejected the Oyomesi chiefs’ request to stop the EFCC from probing them for taking bribes from Lukman Gbadegesin, an Alaafin candidate, on Friday.

Justice Ekerete Akpan dismissed the chiefs’ application on grounds of incompetence.

Yusuf Ayoola (Basorun), Lamidi Oyewale (Sanu), Asimiyu Atanda (Agbaakin), Hamzat Yusuf (Akinniku) and Wakeel Oyedapo went to court to claim that the Oyo State Government was using the EFCC to witch hunt them.

FIJ had exposed Gbadegesin for his history of bad business and the multi-million debts he created for a business partner.

In April 2023, there were articles and rumours packaged as news that Gbadegesin had been crowned the new Alaafin of Oyo. The Oyo State Government quickly responded that it had not given assent to a new Alaafin.

Oyo Governor Seyi Makinde said he refused to approve any candidate’s name because the Oyomesi had not followed due process.

Gbadegesin was a personal assistant to Alhaji Aruna Elewi, a minister of state for communication during the Olusegun Obasanjo administration. He told FIJ that he was close to Atiku Abubakar, a former Nigerian vice president and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the 2023 presidential election.

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