The Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate in Ogun State for the 2027 election, Oladipupo Adebutu, has said that the ruling All Progressives Congress is becoming jittery and panic over the growing strength of the opposition party ahead of the next year poll.
Adebutu has equally dared the APC governorship candidate and senator representing Ogun West, Sen Solomon Adeola fondly called Yayi to file a lawsuit against for calling him “Fake indigine of Ogun State” saying that he has more than enough documents to establish that the senator is never an indigine of the state
The former federal lawmaker has equally accused the ruling government of intolerance saying that the opposition party was not only prevented from erecting their billboards but have also noticed that their posters across the state were being torn and defaced
He claimed that the PDP had wanted to have their campaign at Idowa but they were barred from the community and had to move to Odogbolu insisting that such alleged moves would not stop the opposition party from reaching the electorate and eventually returning to power in 2027.
Adebutu stated this on Wednesday during a campaign rally in Odogbolu Local Government Area of the state, where he also accused the APC of allegedly removing and defacing PDP campaign materials
The campaign had in attendance the Dr Kehinde Sogunle, a former Commissioner for Finance and the Director General of Oladipupo Adebutu Governorship Campaign, former ALGON in the state who just returned to the party from APC, Hon John Obafemi, former Ambassador to Zambia and Malawi, Mrs Folake Marcus-Bello, Hon Adesegun Adekoya, former Deputy Minority Whip of the 9th National Assembly, the party’s deputy governorship candidate, Alhaja Yemi Sowunmi-Kolapo and other aspirants and thousands of party faithfuls
Recall that Sen Adeola in a statement on Tuesday issued by his media aide, Kayode Odunaro had threatened to sue an APC governorship aspirant, Abayomi Hunye and a PDP chieftain, Marcus-Bello for what he called “a libelous declaration on national television that he is from Ekiti State and not an indigine of Ogun State”
The senator had warned that except these people provide evidence of their claims that he is an indigine of Ekiti within the next 24 hours, they should be ready for court action for defamation of character.
Speaking however during the rally, Adebutu said that he challenged the senator to drag him to court if he’s sure that he is not from Ekiti State
He explained that “The truth is that APC is already jittery, they are in panic mode because they are well aware that the next government in power in the state come 2027 will be the PDP. They said we can’t have our billboards erected and now they are defacing and removing our posters, why are they afraid?
“They also said that we can’t have our campaign in Idowa but here we are in Odogbolu, the birthplace of my late mother, Dame Caroline Adebutu, what is really eaten them up, I think it is because they knew quite aright that the end has come to their maladministration and bad governance in the state.
“They even shot at our windscreen and tyres today, that is the extent to which they can go but we are not going to run away from them. I am a bonafide indigene of Ogun State. My mother is from here in Odogbolu and my father, Sir Kensington Adebutu is from Iperu, so no controversy about where I came from.
“It is however sad that the APC governorship candidate, Sen Adeola commonly called Yayi is threatening to sue people because they said that he is from Ekiti State. Did he think that these people were talking about what is not real? I am daring their lawyers to sue me because the truth is that Yayi is fake indigine of Ogun State.
“I am waiting for their lawyer to also sue me so that we can go and present all our documents in the court of law. They first claimed that they are from Joga, later they said Ishaga, Ilaro and all that…I am waiting for their lawyer to write me so that we can show the whole world the truth.
“The senator is also neck deep in project diversion. He is bringing projects for Enugu, Katsina and others to Ogun State, that is nothing but maladministration. Let us ask them who is Mr Augustine, they should tell us who is Mr Augustine.
“What I am saying here today is nothing personal but about protecting the future of our dear state. So it is definitely sure that these are people without integrity and the competency that can help advance the growth and the prosperity of our state and that is why residents of the state must chase them away with their votes come 2027.
“The hardship and bad governance must not be tolerated beyond 2027. Even the sitting governor has failed, so the people must reject APC in 2027
“They should vote for PDP because we are going to make the Local Government autonomy to work. The grassroots governance and development will be our top priority, the development must be encouraged to start from bottom to the top.
“We shall prioritize payment of gratuities of our pensioners. The government workers would have access to their Cooperative savings because we won’t touch it, they will always have access to their money to enhance their well-being whenever they want it”.
Speaking earlier, the deputy governorship candidate, Alhaja Sowunmi-Kolapo urged the people to turn out in their large numbers with their voter card to end the insensitive government of the APC come February 16, 2027.
She stated that the PDP is ready to wipe away the tears from the faces of the people with its arrays of carefully designed programmes that are aimed at making life worth living and comfortable for every resident of the state.
Also in his remark, former Chairman of Remo North Local Government and ex-ALGON chair in the state, John Obafemi also urged the people of the state to use their votes to reject what he described as the bad government of the APC
He stressed that since PDP left power about 15 years ago, the APC successive governments have subjected the people to untold hardship and should therefore be rejected at the poll in 2027.
Obafemi who just resigned from the APC described Adebutu as a leader that is committed to work for the betterment of the state urging the residents of the state to support the opposition party to return to power in 2027 and return power to the local government administration which is the closest to the people
Marcus-Bello while speaking at the event urged the people not to be distracted or intimidated by Yayi’s lawsuit saying that she stand by her claim that the senator is not an indigine of Ogun State and that she would still reveal a lot more in the coming weeks.
She urged the people of the state to get set for a new dawn of good governance, development and accountability adding that incoming government of PDP is ready to restore the lost glory of the state.
Efforts to however get Sen Adeola’s reaction proved abortive as calls made to the line of his media aide, Odunaro were not connecting while he was yet to respond to the enquiries sent to his WhatsApp as the time of filing this report.
Meanwhile, the state chapter of the APC while reacting to the PDP’s governorship allegations of being shot at by some hoodlums during the campaign however alleged that the reported sporadic shooting was orchestrated by the security personnel attached to Adebutu, in Ososa, the hometown of the its deputy governorship candidate, Mrs. Kudirat Abiodun Adegunwa-Balogun.
The party in a statement on Thursday by its Publicity Secretary, Femi Nuberu called on the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Tunji Disu, to urgently order a thorough and impartial investigation into the incident and ensure that anyone found culpable is held accountable.
Nuberu said that the party received the report with alarm and concern, questioning why security operatives attached to a governorship candidate would allegedly discharge firearms in a populated area.
He said that Adebutu and his campaign team were returning from Ijebu-Ode when they passed through Ososa, where members of the security team allegedly opened fire and shot sporadically into the air, causing residents and other people in the area to scamper for safety.
The APC said the reported incident was particularly disturbing because security personnel are expected to protect lives, maintain public order and prevent violence.
Nuberu said the incident must be properly addressed to prevent any recurrence, urging political parties, candidates, campaign organisations and their supporters to conduct their activities within the bounds of the law.
He said: “We find it deeply disturbing that security details attached to a candidate seeking to become the governor of Ogun State would reportedly cause apprehension among the populace through the reckless discharge of ammunition.
“The incident, which reportedly took place in Ososa, the hometown of our deputy governorship candidate, Mrs. Kudirat Abiodun Adegunwa-Balogun, is troubling and must not be allowed to escalate.
“It is provocative and capable of creating unnecessary fear and tension among law-abiding citizens. We expect the police investigation to establish the facts surrounding the incident and ensure that anyone found to have acted unlawfully is held accountable.
“We call on Hon. Ladi Adebutu and his campaign team to exercise restraint and ensure that their activities do not create fear, intimidation or disorder in any part of Ogun State.
“We appeal to residents to remain calm, reject retaliation and allow the security agencies to do their work. Political differences must never endanger innocent lives.”
