The stepmother of Solomon Adeola, the All Progressives Congress (APC) consensus governorship candidate for Ogun State, has publicly rejected allegations that he originates from Ekiti State, stating she is prepared to testify in court if necessary.
Aminatu Abiola, who identified herself as the first wife of Adeola's late father, Oteko Ayinde, addressed the controversy in a video that circulated on Friday, September 18, 2026. Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, currently serves as the senator representing Ogun West.
Opponents' Claims Against Adeola
The dispute over Adeola's state of origin gained traction after two separate interviews on Channels TV, in August and September, in which Abayomi Hunye, a suspended APC member, and Folake Marcus-Bello of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) alleged he is an Ekiti indigene. Marcus-Bello went further, claiming that Adeola's father was buried in Ekiti and his mother in Epe, Lagos State.
Adeola responded on Tuesday by giving his critics 24 hours to produce evidence or face legal action.
Stepmother Speaks Out
In the video, Abiola confirmed that she herself is from Iworoko in Ekiti but insisted that Yayi's father had no such roots. "I'm Alhaja Aminatu Abiola, senior wife of Oteko Ayinde, who gave birth to Yayi. I hail from Iworoko in Ekiti. On these things I'm about to say, if I tell a lie, let the creator of all Ogun people judge me," she said in Yoruba.
She described her own marriage to Ayinde, explaining that a second wife named Mujida from Ijebu later joined the household. She also said her father-in-law's mother, Alhaja Lamlatu, came from Owo in Ondo State, not Ekiti.
Directly contradicting Marcus-Bello's claim about where Ayinde was buried, Abiola said: "We buried Ayinde in Lagos, not Ekiti. His company's name is Oteko."
She added that Ayinde died young, before Adeola had completed university or entered politics. "It's been over 30 years. Yayi had nothing at that time and had not even joined politics," she said. She also disclosed that Adeola was born a Muslim with the name Sule but later changed it to Olamilekan upon converting to Christianity.
Family Background and Appeal
Abiola said Yayi's mother is from Abeokuta and described the early death of his father as the reason Yayi was not brought up in the family's Ogun hometown. "It was the early death that made Yayi's father not take all his children home in Ogun State," she said.
She concluded her remarks with an appeal to residents of Yewa to back Adeola's governorship bid.
Senator Yayi Rewards Artist with Full Scholarship
Meanwhile, Legit.ng also reported that a seven-year-old boy received N2.5 million and a full university scholarship after his portrait of Senator Solomon Adeola gained attention online. The lawmaker said the reward was to recognise the child's exceptional artistic talent and encourage him to pursue his dreams. The child received the awards at Senator Adeola's Scholarship and Bursary Award Ceremony.
