LAGOS — A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, Mogaji Seye Oladejo, has cautioned against what he described as the growing culture of “trial by social media,” insisting that allegations against the Chief of Staff to the President, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, should be investigated through the appropriate legal and constitutional channels rather than adjudicated on digital platforms.
Reacting to the online controversy popularly tagged “Adeyemigate,” Oladejo said the trend reflects a disturbing pattern in which social media has become a platform for instant convictions, where allegations are treated as established facts and reputations are damaged before due process is allowed to take its course.
According to him, politically motivated actors, digital propagandists and content creators have increasingly replaced facts with speculation, elevating accusations into public verdicts without credible evidence or the conclusion of official investigations.
“The latest target is the Chief of Staff to the President, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila. Without evidence being tested or competent authorities completing their work, many have already written the judgment and pronounced the sentence,” he said.
Oladejo argued that such conduct undermines democratic values and the rule of law, stressing that every Nigerian, regardless of status or political affiliation, is entitled to fair hearing, due process and the constitutional presumption of innocence until proven guilty.
He maintained that social media platforms cannot substitute for courts of competent jurisdiction, noting that hashtags, trending topics, influencers and anonymous accounts cannot serve as evidence, judges or prosecutors.
“If allegations have been made, the appropriate security and investigative agencies should be allowed to carry out their responsibilities professionally and without interference. Evidence—not emotions—should determine the outcome,” he stated.
Oladejo warned that the growing appetite for trial by social media poses a serious threat to Nigeria’s democracy by encouraging misinformation, rewarding sensationalism and allowing repeated falsehoods to gain temporary credibility.
He lamented that in many instances, allegations are amplified by political opponents, monetised by content creators and sensationalised by influencers, leading to public condemnation long before investigations are concluded. By the time facts emerge, he noted, reputational damage has already been done, with little or no accountability from those who promoted unverified claims.
While acknowledging that public officials must remain open to scrutiny and investigation where credible allegations exist, Oladejo insisted that criticism should never replace justice or due process.
He noted that Gbajabiamila’s decades of public service—as Minority Leader, Majority Leader, Speaker of the House of Representatives and now Chief of Staff to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu—naturally attract public attention, but said scrutiny must not be weaponised into persecution.
According to him, the issue extends beyond one individual, warning that normalising trial by social media today could expose any public official, opposition figure or ordinary citizen to similar treatment tomorrow.
“Our democracy is sustained by strong institutions, not digital mobs. The Constitution remains superior to trending hashtags, and the rule of law must always prevail over the rule of algorithms,” he said.
Oladejo urged Nigerians genuinely interested in justice to resist drawing conclusions before investigations are completed and to allow relevant institutions to establish the facts without intimidation or undue influence.
He concluded that Gbajabiamila was not seeking special treatment but deserved the same constitutional guarantees available to every Nigerian—fairness, due process and justice.
According to him, those principles remain the foundation of any democracy worthy of the name.
