•Ladi Adebutu
The governorship candidate of the Ogun State chapter of the People Democratic Party in the 2023 governorship election, Ladi Adebutu has described as “baseless” allegations levelled against him by the Department of State Services.
In a release by the politician detailing his experience while in the custody of DSS in Abeokuta, he said the allegations were to silence him as a voice of the opposition, reports Channels TV.
Adebutu was arrested yesterday and quizzed over last Saturday’s local government election held across the 20 local government areas of Ogun State.
He was then released early this morning from the DSS office.
“It was about 7 am, Tuesday, 19th November 2024, I was released by the Department of State Services in Abeokuta following an invitation to answer to various spurious accusations all arising from the November 16 Local Government election in Ogun State.
“Very sadly, the allegations were so baseless that it became clear that their purpose was to silence me as a voice of the opposition. My contention that those elections were not free and fair is my fundamental right to free speech and free thought,” he said.
“My thinking that the Local Government should have financial Autonomy that can only be enforced by free and fair elections is germane to our development. Mr President, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, shares the same view as mine which shows it is not a partisan position but a nationalistic one.
“However, because of the particular situation of Ogun State over the last five years which I shall publish shortly, desperation has set in to emasculate the third tier of government completely, this is the struggle for our development.”
He commended the DSS for their diligence and professionalism.
“I seize this opportunity to appreciate our institutions as they gradually continue to grow, I must say I am pleasantly surprised at the professionalism and fairness the Department of State Services has treated this matter to date particularly, during my stay in their office.
“I also acknowledge the judiciary for the forthright judgment we were able to obtain from the Ogun State High Court on Friday, 15th November, 2024 in suit AB/784/2024, a suit filed for the purpose of excluding the Peoples Democratic Party from participating in the Local Government elections.
“I thank all stakeholders, well-wishers and for that matter none well-wishers because together, we must move the narration forward and arrive at good governance”.
