The recent comments by Comrade Olamide Lawal and the APC regarding Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu have once again exposed the ruling party’s growing anxiety ahead of the 2027 governorship election in Ogun State.
It is both amusing and contradictory that the same APC which claims Adebutu is “not a threat” continues to devote so much time and energy to discussing him. No political party spends valuable airtime attacking an opponent it considers irrelevant. The APC’s growing fixation on Hon. Adebutu only confirms that his growing popularity, acceptance and connection with the people of Ogun State have become impossible to ignore.
We are particularly surprised by the attempt to downplay Hon. Adebutu’s achievements during his time as a member of the House of Representatives. Such a statement flies in the face of available facts. His record of constituency interventions, educational support programmes, youth empowerment initiatives, community development projects and humanitarian engagements remains available for public scrutiny. His impact was felt by ordinary people and communities.
Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu is not just another politician seeking public office. He is an authentic son of Ogun State whose roots, commitment and contributions to the state are well known. His relationship with the people did not begin with elections and has never been driven by political convenience. For years, he has consistently demonstrated his commitment to the welfare and progress of Ogun people.
It is also curious that the APC has chosen to hide behind zoning arguments rather than engage in meaningful conversations about governance, leadership and performance. The people of Ogun State are intelligent enough to determine who possesses the vision, capacity and compassion required to lead them. Democracy is a contest of ideas, competence and public trust, not excuses created out of fear.
Instead of engaging in media propaganda and attacking Hon. Adebutu, the APC should tell Ogun people why, despite years in government, challenges around unemployment, infrastructure, economic hardship and other issues affecting ordinary citizens remain. The people are wiser than the APC imagines. They know the difference between leadership built on service and politics built on propaganda.
The PDP is not distracted by the noise coming from the ruling party. Our focus remains on providing a credible alternative and mobilising the people around a vision of responsible, inclusive and people centred governance.
The reality remains simple. If Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu truly poses no threat to the APC, there would be no reason for the ruling party and its spokespersons to make him the centrepiece of their political conversations. Their persistent attacks have only confirmed what many already know. Adebutu remains a major force in the political equation of Ogun State.
As 2027 approaches, the APC should stop pretending that the Adebutu factor does not exist and begin preparing for the political reality ahead. With Adebutu’s entry into the race imminent, the ruling party would do well to spend less time attacking him and more time accounting for its years in government. Ogun people are ready for a new direction, and no amount of propaganda can stop the winds of change already blowing across the state.
Comrade Lukman Ejalonibu is the Ogun State PDP Youth Leader
