A Magistrate Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, has ordered the remand of Abimbola Olajumoke Olawumi, a former All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant, in connection with allegations including defamation, cyberbullying and kidnapping.
The court reportedly ordered that Olawumi remain in custody for one month after revoking an earlier bail granted to her. The decision followed her failure to appear before the court at a scheduled sitting.
The matter has been adjourned until September 15, 2026, when further proceedings are expected to take place.
The case followed a complaint by Yemisi Joluwe, Chief Executive Officer of YSJ Agro-Allied Limited. Joluwe accused Olawumi of making statements that she considered damaging to her reputation and the reputation of her agricultural company.
Joluwe maintained that the company accepts legitimate criticism and public scrutiny but would take legal steps against statements it considers false or malicious.
The dispute also involves allegations concerning the kidnapping of workers at the farm and the reported death of one of the company’s staff members. Joluwe said security agencies are investigating those allegations.
The legal proceedings have attracted attention because of Olawumi’s previous involvement in the Ekiti governorship contest. She had obtained the APC expression-of-interest and nomination forms alongside Governor Biodun Oyebanji and another aspirant, Kayode Ojo.
However, Olawumi was unsuccessful in securing the APC governorship ticket and subsequently challenged her exclusion from the party’s nomination process in court.
Her legal challenge over the APC primary also continued through the appellate courts, although her attempts to overturn the decision were unsuccessful, according to the report.
The latest case became public after Olawumi was brought before the Chief Magistrates’ Court in Ado-Ekiti in July. Police reportedly filed charges involving alleged blackmail, threatening messages and accusations made through social media platforms.
The prosecution alleged that photographs and addresses belonging to Joluwe and two other individuals were published online alongside threatening messages.
Olawumi pleaded not guilty to the allegations.
The court had initially granted her bail but later revoked the order following her failure to appear for a subsequent proceeding.
The latest remand order does not amount to a conviction. The allegations remain before the court and will be determined through the judicial process.
The case has also generated political interest because of Olawumi’s previous attempt to secure the APC ticket for the Ekiti governorship election.
As proceedings continue, attention is expected to focus on the evidence presented by both sides and the court’s eventual determination of the allegations.
The matter is scheduled to return to court on September 15, 2026.
