The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Ogun State, Oladipupo Adebutu, has alleged that all governors in Nigeria are misappropriating local government allocations.

Adebutu made the remarks at the Ake Palace in Abeokuta during a meeting with the Egba Traditional Council, where he sought the support and blessings of traditional rulers for his governorship ambition.

He was accompanied by his running mate, Dr. Lateefat Sowunmi-Kolapo; the PDP senatorial candidate for Ogun Central, Iyabo Obasanjo; the Ogun State PDP Chairman, Abayomi Tella; and other party leaders and candidates.

Addressing the traditional rulers, Adebutu declared that granting full financial autonomy to local governments would be one of the defining policies of his administration.

“I will do something that will stun this nation and put us in the right direction. Local governments shall get their own money,” he said.

“We must make sure we get local government autonomy. I have been reiterating it to you that I, Oladipupo Olatunde, son of Adebutu, was at the National Assembly twice and I can boast that I didn’t embezzle public funds. How many politicians can say this?”

Adebutu accused governors across party lines of diverting local government funds.

“It’s not a party thing. Both APC and PDP, all the governors are embezzling local government allocations. It’s not a secret,” he said.

He argued that local councils were able to deliver more development when they had greater control over their finances.

“When PDP was in power and local governments were getting their funds, there were developments and they carried monarchs along in the scheme of things,” he said.

The PDP candidate also reflected on his years in public office and his family’s legacy of community development.

He added that while he had continued the community development efforts associated with his father and grandfather, he had realised “that without executive powers, there’s a limit to what an individual can do to develop society.”

On infrastructure financing, Adebutu said governments must adopt new approaches rather than relying on borrowing.

“You don’t borrow money for infrastructure anymore,” he said, while promising to construct roads that would improve connectivity between Ogun State and Lagos.

He also pledged to make electricity a major priority of his administration through collaboration with private investors, saying improved power supply would stimulate economic growth and create jobs.

“For electricity, private sector participation with the government, we will pursue relentlessly it and once we generate that electricity, you will see the income of our people will increase and energy procurement will decrease,” he said.

Highlighting his personal interventions in the power sector, Adebutu claimed he had donated more electricity transformers to communities than the Ogun State Government.

“I can say it categorically that I have distributed more transformers to communities across the state than the government has done,” he said.

According to him, more than 600 transformers had been provided across Ogun communities.

“Any day we install a transformer in any community, it ceases to be mine. It becomes the property of the electricity distribution company and I haven’t stopped because of that,” he said.

Explaining the rationale behind the interventions, he added: “Because I believe with electricity, it’s a direct empowerment for everybody. It is either saving you money that you will spend or it is helping you to make money.”

Adebutu while presenting himself to the Obas as a candidate ready to serve the people, said, “I offer myself for service.”

In his welcome address, the Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, described Adebutu, as “trustworthy and reliable,” declaring his support for the party’s flag bearer ahead of the 2027 governorship election.

The Alake recalled his long-standing relationship with Adebutu’s father, the renowned businessman and philanthropist, Sir Kensington Adebutu, popularly known as Baba Adebutu.

Drawing a comparison between father and son, the monarch expressed confidence in Adebutu’s character and leadership qualities.

The traditional ruler went on to publicly endorse the PDP governorship candidate before members of the traditional council.

“I am pleased to present Oladipupo Adebutu to all of you as a man who is trustworthy and reliable. May God be with you and continue to stand by you,” he said. (Daily Trust)

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