The crisis rocking the Ogun state Chapter of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has turned the party Guber candidate, Hon Ladi Adebutu who many perceived as a philanthropist to it’s opposite.
The governorship aspirant popularly called “Lado” was alleged to have retrieved a car earlier given to a chieftain of the party, Muyiwa Ojebiyi over what is said to be anti party activities and not been loyal to the LADO agenda.
Findings revealed that Hon Adebutu was said to have directed three members of the party, LADI CSO, Toaster and one Mrs Coker from odeda to retrieve the Toyota Sienna from the party chieftain at his resident on Saturday 19, November 2022.
The party chieftain, following the ugly development, issue out a terse statement to his colleagues on a platform that, he had surrender the car without any rancour, when the duo came to his house for the retrieval mission, but kept silence on further development of the incident
“Greetings to everyone. I want to notify the whole house that, I received today the team Lado in my house to retrieve the Sienna car,to God be the glory, I handed it over to them without any scratches whatsoever. They are 3 members, one Ladi Cso, Toaster and one Mrs Coker from Odeda. Thanks and God bless”, he
When contacted by our reporter, Chairman of the party in the State, Hon Sikirulai Ogundele said it was not true. A media Aide to Hon Adebutu, Afolabi Orekoya was also contacted , but in his own response confirmed the incident, explaining that the car in question was not a gift, but a project vehicle.The media aide stressed that when it was obvious that an official relinquish office in an organization, it is morally right to return official vehicle, as such officer cannot hold on to properties attached to the office, as far they are not personal properties
“First, the vehicles were not gifts but project vehicles, so when people relinquish their offices or positions in an organization, definitely they cannot hold on to properties attached to the office which are not personal properties”, Orekoya explained.“In this case, the project vehicles were expected to have been handed over by these people when they are no more interested in the project but they wanted to go away with it. The project is still on course and new occupants of their relinquished positions will need them to work with”, he added.‘Moreso, it is not a new thing in the political circle, at least Governor Dapo Abiodun always retrieve his vehicles from people after each campaign, likewise some other party leaders, so why is this becoming an issue”, Orekoya argued.
Also confirming the incident, Secretary General, Ladi Adebutu Campaign Organization, Comrade Niyi Osoba said the action was carried out when it was discovered and established that the vehicle wasn’t being used for mobilization meant for“We retrieved vehicles from those who were not willing to use the vehicles for mobilization purposes which was the intended reason for assigning the vehicles to them in the first instance.The vehicles were given out by Ladi Adebutu Development Organization mainly to mobilize support for Lado’s political ambition”, he said
“This is the primary concept of giving the cars even by Omoilu group founded by Late Senator Buruji Kashamu. When I wanted to leave Senator Buruji Kashamu’s group in 2017, he collected the two vehicles that he gave to me through the intervention of Police at Igbeba, Ijebu Ode. This is in the public domain”, Osoba explained.“It is extremely immoral, indecent and a criminal act for anyone to use Lado’s vehicle to mobilize for another aspirant.It is therefore a cheap blackmail for anyone to conclude that Ladi Adebutu collected vehicles from those who were not supporting his political ambition. That is balderdash”, he declared.
