Gani Adams denies assassination claims, say leaked audio was ‘distorted’

Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Adams, on Tuesday, refuted accusations of plotting an assassination after a leaked voice note sparked controversy.

The voice clip, allegedly featuring Adams, linked others to a potential assassination attempt.

The leaked audio reportedly named Yoruba Nation activist Sunday Igboho and Lagos State Governor’s Chief of Staff, Tayo Ayinde, as figures involved in the alleged plot. Both individuals have threatened legal action against Adams, demanding a retraction of the accusations.

However, in a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Aderemi, Adams denied the content of the recording, calling it “concocted, distorted, and disjointed.”

He claimed his silence on the issue was not cowardice but a strategic move.

He also described the threat of lawsuits by Igboho and Ayinde as “a grand conspiracy” to discredit his person, saying he was ready to do everything to protect his hard-earned name and the office he represented.

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“It is obvious from the alleged defamatory remarks that our client mentioned that it was a ‘rumoured and unconfirmed information that he found difficult to believe’ and could not be shared publicly. Thus, there is no element of malice on the part of our client pertaining to the alleged statement attributed to him in the said video clip.”

Adams was further quoted in the statement by his media aide as saying “The reason for my silence in the midst of the various legal and media infractions by Igboho and Ayinde, was not because I am a coward, but because of the initial interventions of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, other prominent Obas and several other important personalities in Yorubaland.

“But with the ongoing lies and aspersions against my person, I think it is time for me to come out open and set the record straight.

“Though my legal team has done what was required of them, I need to state clearly that the audio clip generating the squabbles was a distorted and disjointed content of a private conversation which held way back in 2021 with a US-based younger brother of a friend.

“The conversation was initiated by the young man who claimed he wanted a reconciliation between myself, Igboho and some other people.

“It was while responding on reasons for reconciliation at the time that he mentioned the names of the two people.”

Adams has yet to elaborate on the specifics of the distortion or who might be responsible for manipulating the recording. The controversy has further strained relations within Yoruba leadership circles.

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