Adebutu Accuses Abiodun Of Tampering With N214bn LG Fund, Govt. Denies Allegation
Awe Ayomide
The former governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party in Ogun State, Hon. Ladi Adebutu, has accused Governor Dapo Abiodun of mismanaging over N214 billion allocated to local governments in the state over the past five years.
Adebutu made this allegation during a press briefing held in Abeokuta on Wednesday, where he also called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene.
According to Adebutu, the alleged mismanagement has left grassroots development in the state stagnant, with no significant projects to show for the funds.
He claimed that under previous administrations, local governments were actively involved in constructing rural roads, markets, and other public infrastructure, but such initiatives have ceased under Abiodun’s tenure.
The PDP leader alleged that Abiodun has used security agencies to harass and silence him due to his persistent demands for accountability. Adebutu stated,
“At least in the last five years, the 20 local governments in the state have received no less than N214bn, but there is nothing to show for it. They can’t even cut the grass in the local governments.”
Adebutu also described last Saturday’s local government election as a “monumental fraud,” accusing the governor of orchestrating irregularities to suppress opposition parties.
He claimed that over 4,000 out of 5,244 polling units in the state did not receive voting materials, making the exercise a sham.
He further alleged that military personnel from Ibadan and thugs from Ikorodu were brought in to intimidate voters and opposition members.
He recounted an incident where a police officer assigned to his security detail was critically injured during an attack, leaving him hospitalized at the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital.
“Who are these soldiers that came from Ibadan, and on whose orders? The truth is that the governor is destroying whatever goodwill is left of the APC in the Southwest,” Adebutu said, urging President Tinubu to address the situation.
In a swift reaction, the Ogun State government dismissed Adebutu’s allegations as baseless and politically motivated.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Strategy, Hon. Kayode Akinmade, described Adebutu as “a drowning man” resorting to unfounded claims.
Akinmade stated, “Governor Abiodun is not a signatory to local government accounts and could not have tampered with their funds. It is laughable for someone who was overwhelmingly rejected by voters to make such an outrageous claim.”
The government further accused Adebutu of deflecting attention from his own controversies, including allegations of violence during the local government election.
The statement added, “It has become quite characteristic of this devious character to lie against Governor Abiodun with satanic fervor anytime he is called upon to account for his rich biography of crimes.”
Adebutu, a member of the PDP Board of Trustees, insisted that Abiodun’s actions posed a significant threat to democracy in Ogun State.
He called on President Tinubu to call the governor to order and ensure that democratic principles are upheld in the state.
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