19th November, 2024
By Adejoke Adeleye/Ogun
Former governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party,PDP in Ogun, Oladipupo Adebutu was on Tuesday morning released from detention by the Department of State Services, DSS.
Adebutu was arrested by the operatives of the secret police and detained on Monday 18th of November 2024.
His arrest followed accusations by the state government of his involvement in violence that led to the death of one of the boys of the vice Chairmanship candidate of All Progressive Congress in Ikenne Local Government Area during last weekend’s council election.
However, in a press release signed by him and made available to newsmen in Abeokuta after he was released from detention on Tuesday, Adebutu said he was invited on “spurious accusations” arising from Saturday November 16th LG elections.
Adebutu said: “At about 7am, Tuesday, 19th November, 2024, I was released by the Department of State Services (DSS) in Abeokuta following an invitation to answer to various spurious accusations all arising from the November 16 Local Government election in Ogun State.
“Very sadly, the allegations were so baseless that it became clear that their purpose was to silence me as a voice of the opposition. My contention that those elections were not free and fair is my fundamental right to free speech and free thought.
“My thinking that the Local Government should have financial Autonomy that can only be enforced by free and fair elections is germane to our development. Mr President, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, shares the same view as mine which shows it is not a partisan position but a nationalistic one.
“However, because of the particular situation of Ogun State over the last five years which I shall publish shortly, desperation has set in to emasculate the third tier of government completely, this is the struggle for our development.
“I seize this opportunity to appreciate our institutions as they gradually continue to grow, I must say I am pleasantly surprised at the professionalism and fairness the Department of State Services has treated this matter till date particularly, during my stay in their office.
“I also acknowledge the judiciary for the forthright judgment we were able to obtain from the Ogun State High Court on Friday, 15th November, 2024 in suit AB/784/2024, a suit filed for the purpose of excluding the Peoples Democratic Party from participating in the Local Government elections.
“I thank all stakeholders , well wishers and for that matter non-well wishers because together, we must move the narration forward and arrive at good governance.”
