Babatunji Wusu –
- Hon. Ladi Adebutu, PDP’s 2023 governorship candidate, was detained by DSS on Monday evening.
- The detention may be linked to alleged election disruptions in Adebutu’s hometown during the recent local government elections.
- Adebutu denies the allegations, stating the incident involved an attack on his son.
- PDP’s Publicity Secretary, Kayode Adebayo, confirmed the arrest and called for calm.
- Legal efforts to secure Adebutu’s release were unsuccessful as of Monday evening.
The Ogun State Command of the Department of State Services (DSS) detained Hon. Ladi Adebutu, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general election, late Monday evening. The arrest followed Adebutu’s participation in a press conference earlier in the day, where he addressed issues surrounding the recent local government elections in the state.
Adebutu, who was accompanied by members of the PDP’s State Executive Committee (SEC), was later apprehended by DSS operatives and denied bail. While no official reason has been provided for his arrest and detention, it is speculated that his detention may be linked to an incident during the local government elections held on Saturday.
The former governorship candidate has been accused of mobilizing thugs and illegal police operatives to disrupt the election in his hometown of Iperu, located in Ikenne Local Government Area of Ogun State. However, Adebutu has vehemently denied these allegations, claiming that the incident stemmed from an attempt on the life of his son, which led to an exchange of gunfire between the assailants and his security team.
The arrest was confirmed by Kayode Adebayo, the PDP’s Publicity Secretary in Ogun State, who issued a statement late Monday evening. Adebayo explained that Adebutu was invited for questioning by the DSS in connection with disturbances during the local government elections.
The statement read in part: “This is to inform members of our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party, that the leader of the party has truly been detained by the DSS for charges yet unknown. However, our principal has called for calm and directed that all members of the party, supporters, and well-wishers should be rest assured that this time shall pass; it is one of the prices for our democracy.”
Adebayo also revealed that multiple attempts to secure Adebutu’s release, either through personal recognition or a surety, had failed by 10 p.m. on Monday, November 18, 2024. He stated that Adebutu’s legal team had been informed and would address the matter the following morning.
The PDP spokesperson urged the public to remain calm, assuring them that efforts were underway to resolve the situation. “We want our people and the general public to be duly informed about his whereabouts and to maintain calm and peace until this matter is resolved,” Adebayo concluded.
