From Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State for the 2023 general elections, Oladipupo Adebutu, has described the conduct of the local government election held at the weekend as the worst so far in the history of the state.
Adebutu, who made the assertion while briefing newsmen in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, on Monday, said the LG poll was not only systemically rigged by the ruling party; some leaders and members of the main opposition party were attacked by hoodlums allegedly on the payroll of the APC.
He said his personal home in Iperu-Remo was not spared in the attacks as the hoodlums invaded his household and unleashed terror on his aides and residents.
Adebutu added that armed policemen also stormed his house and opened fire, a situation that led to one of his police details being hit by a bullet.
While condemning the violence that accompanied the LG poll, the former House of Representatives member flayed the state governor, Dapo Abiodun, for allowing such a “sham” to take place under his watch.
He added that apart from the coordinated attacks on PDP members, which prevented them from exercising the franchise during the poll, the election did not take place at all in over 4,000 polling units in the state.
Adebutu explained further that voting was either disrupted or totally stopped at the polling units where the ruling party observed that PDP candidates would emerge as the winners.
“Our rights were trampled upon on Saturday. Military personnel were unleashed on the civilians. Out of 5,442 polling units in the state, the election did not take place in over 4,000 units. One will then wonder where the Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC) got all the votes they announced.
“They brought a heavy detachment of police to attack my household. They attacked my aides and security details. Hoodlums were unleashed on us. One of my security details was shot and his rifle was carted away by the hoodlums.
“Efele, a transport union leader was seen in a convoy of policemen driving around during the election to attack PDP supporters and leaders in Odogbolu Local Government Area.
Soldiers arrested voters and took them to the barracks in Ilese-Ijebu.
“I have no personal issues with Governor Abiodun, but I have issues with him about his poor performance in office. His administration has borrowed more money than all the past governments with nothing to show for it. And now, he has successfully supervised an election that is ranked as the worst so far in the history of one of the leading states in the country.” Adebutu stated.
Earlier in his remarks, the Ogun State chairman of the PDP, Abayomi Tella, said that “the conduct of the LG election at the weekend was shameful just as unleashing of thugs and soldiers on members of the opposition party was a despicable act.”
Tella said despite the promise by the OGSIEC that the LG election would be free and fair, the state electoral body only made a charade and manipulation.
He added that there were several polling units in Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area where PDP candidates were initially declared as winners, but the results were later manipulated in favour of the candidate of the ruling party.
When asked whether his party would approach the court to seek redress, Tella said that the Ogun PDP legal team was still studying the outcome of the election.
