PDP Dismisses Allegations Against Ladi Adebutu, Accuses APC of Covering Up ‘Yayi’ Indigeneship and Project Diversion Controversies

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Ogun State Chapter has strongly refuted claims questioning the eligibility of its Candidate for the 2027 Ogun State governorship election, describing allegations of the omission of Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu’s name from the official membership register of the Party as a baseless fabrication orchestrated by political detractors.

Addressing reports circulating from the Ogun Democratic Accountability Forum (ODAF), the State Publicity Secretary of the Party, Arc. Kayode Adebayo clarified that Adebutu remains a fully registered, financial, and undisputed leader of the party in Ogun State. The party also affirmed that all legal and statutory requirements under the Electoral Act regarding party registration and submission of membership registers to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were strictly satisfied within the stipulated deadlines.

The party maintained that the narrative claiming Adebutu is disqualified is a sponsored smear campaign designed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its proxy groups to create artificial panic among the electorate and distract from key political vulnerabilities ahead of the election.

According to the PDP, the primary motivation behind the false narrative is to cover up the unresolved questions surrounding the indigeneship status of Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi. The party noted that after decades of representing Lagos State in the legislature, Senator Adeola’s sudden shift of political base to Ogun State remains a critical vulnerability that the APC is desperate to conceal.

Furthermore, the PDP alleged that the propaganda was engineered to bury mounting public scrutiny over the alleged diversion of federal constituency projects meant for other states into Ogun State, a tactic the party claims was used to falsely project administrative achievements and deceive the people of Ogun State.

Rejecting the legal assertions made by ODAF regarding Supreme Court rulings and nomination fee payments, the party emphasized that political eligibility is governed by the Constitution and the Electoral Act rather than press statements issued by politically aligned groups.

The PDP urged INEC to ignore pressure from political proxies, reassuring supporters across Ogun State that Adebutu’s nomination process remains intact and that he remains fully eligible to contest the 2027 governorship race.