From Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State in the 2023 general election, Oladipupo Adebutu, has described the conduct of the local government election last Saturday as the worst so far in the history of the state.
Adebutu, who made the assertion while briefing newsmen in Abeokuta, yesterday, said the council poll was not only systemically rigged by the ruling party, but some leaders and members of the main opposition party were also attacked by hoodlums allegedly on the payroll of the All Progressives Congress (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 which led to one of his police details being hit by the bullet.
While condemning the violence that accompanied the poll, the former House of Representatives member, flayed Governor Dapo Abiodun for allowing such a ‘sham’ to take place under his watch.
But the state government, through the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, described Adebutu as a drowning man who is finding someone to drag with him into the abyss and dismissed his allegations as tissues of lies.
Akinmade, in the statement, noted that Ogun State has not witnessed any political violence since Abiodun assumed office, a testament to his peaceful mien.
He noted that contrary to Adebutu’s falsehood, Prince Abiodun had, immediately after voting, headed home straight, where he was until the election, after which he decided to return to Ondo State where the governorship election had just taken place.
He accused Adebutu of political thuggery, adding that contrary to the electoral act, he illegally brought in 40 policemen from MOPOL 49 in Lagos and, along with PDP thugs on Okada who went about with guns, cutlasses and other dangerous weapons, attempting to snatch ballot boxes.
According to Akinmade, one of the polling booths invaded was where the Vice Chairman of Ikenne Local Government, Hon. Muhammed Olaitan Efuwape was about to vote. He was shot by the policemen alongside one other voter. Enraged voters pursued the policemen, who fled to the home of Hon. Adebutu’s compound where they took refuge.
But Adebutu insisted that apart from the coordinated attacks on PDP members, which prevented them from exercising their franchise during the poll, election did not take place, at all, in over 4,000 polling units in the state.
He explained further that voting was either disrupted or totally stopped at the polling units, where the ruling party observed that PDP candidates would emerge 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, elections did not take place in over 4,000 units. One will then wonder where the Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC) got all the number of votes it 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 on 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 history of one of the leading states in the country,” Adebutu said.
Earlier, PDP Chairman, Abayomi Tella, said: “The conduct of the council poll 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 council election would be free and fair, the state electoral body only put on a charade and manipulation.
He said 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 the Ogun PDP legal team was still studying the outcome of the election.
