Ogun 2027: Akinlade Says Adebutu Not Fit For PDP Governorship Ticket

By Akinwale Kasali

The once rosy relationship between the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Governorship Candidate at the 2023 Election in Ogun State, Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu and his runningmate, Abdulkabir Akinlade, seems to have gone sour over their political aspirations come 2027.

Akinlade openly rejected Adebutu’s 2027 governorship ambition, saying that his former Principal is not the best option for the Party come 2027.

This is coming weeks after the party’s parallel congresses which were held separately by different factions of the PDP in the State.

The former Governorship Candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement, APM, at the 2019 Election emphasized that Adebutu’s emergence as the Party’s Governorship Candidate in 2027 would be detrimental to the Party in the State.

Akinlade said: “The fact is that many of us in Ogun PDP are of the view that Hon. Ladi Adebutu should not,and cannot, run for the office of Ogun State governor in 2027.”

He further noted that Adebutu’s deployment of Billions of Naira to influence his aspiration at all levels is unacceptable, and as stakeholders, they have resolved to put “Ogun state first.”

He also highlighted the potential for geographical imbalance if Adebutu were to run, citing the incumbent Governor’s Dapo Abiodun completion of his Eight year term in 2027, citing that they come from the same area.

“There is no way the incumbent Governor, H.E Prince Dapo Abiodun, who is from Iperu in Ikene LG of Ogun State will be completing his eight-year term in 2027 God willing, and another self-entitled Iperu man will want to be governor in 2027, isn’t acceptable”, he stressed.

The party’s internal conflict began after the Supreme Court judgment that gave victory to Governor Abiodun as against Akinlade and Adebutu, who ran on a joint ticket in the 2023 election.

The duo have been at loggerheads over their political ideologies that has led to irreconcilable differences, have been at odds with former PDP Chairman Hon. Sikirulai Ogundele.

The PDP has failed to win back the State from the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, after former PDP Governor, Gbenga Daniel’s relinquished power to APC’s Ibikunle Amosun who ruled for eight years from 2011-2019, before Governor Abiodun came on board in 2019 and won re-election in 2023.