APC, PDP Disagree Over Adebutu’s Emergence as Ogun Guber candidate

The All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party have disagreed over the emergence of Oladipupo Adebutu as the PDP governorship candidate for the 2027 election in Ogun State, with both parties defending their positions on the choice of candidate.

The disagreement followed criticism by former Acting Executive Chairman of the Federal Character Commission and APC chieftain, Kayode Oladele, who faulted the PDP for selecting Adebutu, an indigene of Iperu-Remo, the same hometown as Governor Dapo Abiodun.

Oladele argued that after Governor Abiodun completes two terms in office, it would be difficult to convince the people of Ogun State to elect another governor from the same town. He said the people of the state have always valued fairness and balance in the sharing of political offices.

According to him, the PDP made a poor political decision by presenting another candidate from Iperu instead of considering the long-standing demand by Ogun West Senatorial District to produce the state’s governor. He noted that Ogun West remains the only senatorial district that has not produced a democratically elected governor since the state was created.

Oladele said the APC governorship candidate, Senator Solomon Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, offers the state an opportunity to address that imbalance. He added that Adeola’s popularity, record in public office and empowerment programmes have earned him support across Ogun Central, Ogun East and Ogun West.

He also expressed confidence that the APC would remain in power after the 2027 governorship election and called on party members to strengthen their grassroots mobilisation. He further appealed to residents to support President Bola Tinubu’s administration and the APC government in Ogun State, saying continuity would benefit development.

The PDP, however, rejected Oladele’s comments, insisting that the choice of its governorship candidate remains an internal matter. The party’s Publicity Secretary, Kayode Adebayo, said no political opponent has the authority to determine who the PDP should nominate or where its candidate should come from, provided the process follows the Constitution, the Electoral Act and the party’s rules.

Adebayo explained that every political party is expected to present its strongest candidate during an election, adding that this informed the party’s decision to field Adebutu for the governorship race.

He also dismissed claims that the PDP had ignored Ogun West’s aspiration to produce the state’s governor. According to him, the party has supported candidates from Ogun West in previous elections, including the late General Adetunji Olurin in 2011 and Adekunle Akinlade during the 2019 governorship contest.

The PDP spokesman accused the APC of interfering in the internal affairs of the opposition instead of focusing on its own party. He maintained that the PDP’s governorship ticket was produced through a lawful process and insisted that Adebutu remains the party’s best choice to contest the 2027 election.