By Our Correspondent
The Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has distanced itself and members from the statement and actions of Hon. Ladi Adebutu, describing his vituperations and conduct during Saturday LG election as "uncouth and indecorous".
In a statement issued on Tuesday by the Publicity Secretary, Austin Oniyokor, in Abeokuta, the Party said it was taken aback by Adebutu's claim that he was arrested and detained by the Department of State Service (DSS) because of his views that local government financial autonomy can only be guaranteed by free and fair elections.
"How is that possible? Hon. Ladi Adebutu must think that the good people of Ogun State are gullible. Otherwise, how would he attempt to feed the public with such barefaced lies when it is public knowledge that he was arrested and detained for confessing to incite violence by ordering his security details to engage other security men?" the party asked rhetorically.
The statement reads in part, "Although we had thought that upon his release by the DSS today, Hon. Ladi Adebutu will be remorseful and take time to reflect on his indecorous conduct which is unbecoming of a person aspiring to lead the highly sophisticated people of Ogun State, we were shocked to see him incite violence again against notable leaders of the party and the State Governor, H.E Prince Dapo Abiodun whom he verbally attacked repeatedly.
"The whole world saw and heard by his own admission on video, his unlawful acts and abuse of VIP privileges accorded to him by way of using men of the Nigeria Police Force and Department of State Security (DSS) personnel as personal protection.
"Going by the very incriminating widely circulated video on social media in which he publicly admitted to ordering his security details to use firearms, it is clear that Hon. Ladi Adebutu’s disregard for constituted authority and arrogance knows no bounds.
"We wish to state emphatically that Ogun State PDP is a law- abiding and responsible organisation which respects the Constitution, constituted authority and laws of our land.
"The use of security personnel by Very Important Personalities (VIPs) during elections was expressly prohibited by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Dr. Kayode Egbetokun and any attempt by any individual to undermine that directive, regardless of his social status, is condemnable, unlawful and illegal.
"We hereby call on the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), the Directorate of State Security (DSS) and other government security agencies to investigate this wanton abuse of privilege, unlawful use of armed police personnel and endangering of the lives of DSS operatives by Hon. Ladi Adebutu."
The party added, "The arrest, detention and release of Hon. Ladi Adebutu shows that no one is above the law. He should be thoroughly investigated and if found culpable, charged and prosecuted in line with the extant laws of the land.
"It will be a very dangerous precedent if Hon. Ladi Adebutu is allowed to flout the laws of the land without any consequences. The Executive Governor of Ogun is the Chief Security Officer and the only individual empowered by the Constitution to authorize the use of state actors within the ambit of the law. If any other person does that, it is anarchy and clearly a very dangerous abuse of power for which the violator (s) must be held liable without fear or favour irrespective of whose ox is gored.
“Lastly, we wish to state emphatically that Hon. Ladi Adebutu is the leader of the LADO group and a member of the Ogun State PDP; thus not the leader of PDP in the state. He was only the party's 2023 governorship candidate. That does not confer on him the leadership of the party. The State Chairman, Dr. (Hon.) Sikirulai Ogundele is the leader of the party in the state. Therefore, the party's leadership condemns all acts of violence and brigandage because that is not who we are.”
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