Abiodun, Adebutu bicker over alleged mismanagement of N214bn Ogun LG funds

The former governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party in Ogun State, Oladipupo Adebutu, on Wednesday, alleged that the government of Dapo Abiodun mismanaged at least N214 billion meant for the development of local governments in the last five years.

Adebutu claimed that this was the reason Abiodun had allegedly been using the security agencies to harass and silence him, as he had consistently demanded transparency, accountability, and good governance at the grassroots level.

The PDP leader also reported the governor to President Bola Tinubu, urging him to call Abiodun to order, accusing the governor of not only threatening the country’s democracy but also undermining the goodwill of the ruling All Progressives Congress in the Southwest.

Adebutu disclosed this at a press briefing held in Abeokuta on Wednesday.

Recall that the opposition leader was detained by the Department of State Services on Monday, and was also at the State Police Command Headquarters, Eleweran, Abeokuta, on Tuesday, over allegations of violence related to the Saturday local government elections in the state.

Adebutu said, “They have been pursuing me and want to silence me because they are embezzling local government funds. They don’t want the theft of our resources to stop.

“At least in the last five years, the 20 local governments in the state have received no less than N214 billion, but there is nothing to show for it. They can’t even cut the grass in the local governments.

“In the past, under the government of Otunba Gbenga Daniel, the local governments were involved in the construction of rural roads, drainages, motor parks, markets, rural electrification, and much more, but that is now a thing of the past.”

The PDP Board of Trustees member insisted that no election took place on Saturday, saying that over 4,000 polling units out of about 5,244 polling units were not supplied with voting materials.

He accused Abiodun of bringing in the military from Ibadan to attack opposition members, while thugs were brought from Ikorodu to unleash terror on his aides.

Adebutu added, “Who are these soldiers that came from Ibadan, and on whose orders? Who are the people who shot at one of the policemen assigned to me since December 2022, just to ensure my safety? The police officer is still critically ill at OOUTH?”

He has, however, urged Tinubu to call Abiodun to order, saying that the way the governor has conducted himself in the last week, particularly over the LG poll, is quite condemnable.

Adebutu said, “If under a Yoruba presidency, the President will sit back and watch his people being beaten and maimed because they want to exercise their franchise and vote for the candidates of their choice, it will be very sad. The truth is that the governor is destroying whatever goodwill is left of the APC in the Southwest.”

Reacting, the state government described Adebutu’s allegations as “the rantings of a drowning man.”

In a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, the government said it was not surprised by the antics of the PDP chieftain, who is currently under investigation by security agencies for acts of electoral violence and attempted murder related to the Saturday polls.

The statement added that Adebutu had become like a wounded lion trying to save face after his recent ordeal at the hands of security agents due to his electoral malfeasance on Saturday.

The statement said, “We do not find it shocking that a man who aspired to govern Ogun State but was roundly rejected by voters would claim that a governor who is not a signatory to local government accounts squandered council funds amounting to N214bn in five years.

“That means, conceptually, that the said local governments did not pay any salaries and did not execute any projects in those five years, and it says a lot about a governorship candidate whose own running mate described him as a complete disaster.

“The fact is that at no time did Governor Abiodun touch a dime of LG funds in Ogun State, but Adebutu has to entertain his crowd.”