Ladi Adebutu; Contending, Pretending, Or A Political Cash Cow? An Open Letter To My Erstwhile Political Leader -By Oriowo Olalekan Ridwan-Nofiu

I am seated in my grandmother’s compound in Ijebu Igbo, Ogun State, reminiscing about my foray into politics, my involvement in the last elections, and the numerous events leading up to them. Thus, I decided to pen my thoughts and observations as 2027 draws near.

THE GENESIS

To offer a little bit of the background story. Sometime in 2022, I reached out to a few young people from different parts of Ogun State, the goal was simple, we set out to provide a formidable social media opposition voice, to serve as a pressure group against the laikadisical government of governor Dapo Abiodun, and to project Ladi Adebutu and the PDP as the alternative to the present government, this resolve birthed PDP Gateway Forum, a support group for youths who wish to get involved in Ogun States’ politics through the PDP as a political vehicle.

I quickly discovered that it was easier to serve as a pressure group against the government of the day due to the evident numerous infrastructure ruins and cosmetic governance ranging from dilapidated schools, markets, roads, and a displeased civil service than it was to project your image as a better alternative, and that was partly due to a battered online reputation, which I later found out was engineered by some of your political associates who were in the opposition, before joining your campaign years ago.

To many who were not able to get close, Ladi Adebutu is incapable of conversing in English, it did not matter if you were educated in Nigeria and the UK, you were and still are referred to as “Akébàjé” which translates loosely as a spoilt brat, I also found a few private pictures that were shared with the public domain. However, it took me a few minutes listening to you at one of the media retreats organized by the leadership of the media team to be convinced that you are far from any of these postulations.

SOUR-SWEET VICTORY

We took off, feeling rejuvenated by what was to come, although unknown at the time, we were able to project your philanthropic acts, exploits in private businesses which to my surprise, and the ability to converse in flowery spoken English which were unknown, particularly to the Twitter streets, it would be hypocritical not to commend some of the guys who held your defense on Facebook and different WhatsApp political platforms, but as things moved with pace, we, the PDP Gateway Forum guys wanted more.

I specifically shared plans for a functional campaign website, email marketing campaign, radio station visits for diversification of views, short political reels, the need for an exclusive campaign interview, and for one of us to be a part of the manifesto committee. As a group, we spoke in one accord, but were met with a stumbling block, to my surprise, political mushroom groups were able to stroll into private meetings with you as I witnessed at Radisson by Park Inn, Abeokuta.

Please note that our work and proposed services were “pro bono.”, but access was denied even though we were in proximity numerous times, in fact, we almost got replaced due to a leadership tussle within the media and our incessant complaints for things to be done the right way, until the intervention of your son, Bukunola.

My takeaway from these events is that your political ambition is seen as a cash cow to be milked for personal benefits by some close political associates. We spent a considerable amount of time discussing and analyzing various judgments emerging from the election petition, it was as though we were law students, but it was necessary to understand the judgments and the law terminologies to maintain a single narrative on social media, this was to ensure that all eyes and attention focused on the merit of our position.

THE CROSS ROAD

In 2024, I decided to become a passive member in your defense on social media or offline and I cemented my position by exiting the media team and its platforms late last year. I also withdrew my support for the PDP, however, I have decided to write to you seeing that you are sure to contest the 2027 elections. I must be honest with you, Sir, my first thought was that you are about to sponsor a new set of house of assembly members who would then decamp into the APC if you lose the election as seen with the 2023 group.

The PDP in Ogun state, as a viable opposition is non-existent. I must admit that you have also lost political foot soldiers like the Akintan group and other political stalwarts in the Sagamu PDP to the ruling party. I need not remind you that you’ve also lost all the PDP House of Assembly members and your deputy candidate in the last election to the APC and more recently, the former publicity secretary, Bankole Akinloye.

I worry about your recent dual affiliation with the Wike and Makinde factional congresses, perhaps you have your reasons, but there is also the possibility of nullification of the PDP’s candidates if the crisis remains unsolved. The ADC is also having its fair share of internal crises, and you know better than to join Jimi Lawal in the ADC.

OGUN TODAY

The general election is only months away, and events leading to this moment have confirmed your candidacy with PDP, while Sen. Adeola YAYI is billed to fly the APC flag. It is in the realization of this that I remembered you promised to run for a term if elected as governor in 2023, although, I doubted the promise earlier, but I still gave it the benefit of the doubt.

Sir, not only has this promise been broken, but you have also played a superfluous political game by switching your voting Ward from Iperu, Remo to Odogbolu in the Ijebu axis of the Ogun East senatorial district. I believe this is an attempt at justifying your candidacy since you are from the same hometown as the present and outgoing governor, Dapo Abiodun.

Many times, I have asked myself. In what world does it make sense for Iperu to produce the governor for a potential 16-year run? I am sure the question bothers you and perhaps, some of your political associates, many of whom will be unable to set the records straight and provide wise counsel due to their personal interests.

IJEBU AGENDA

It needs no saying that the Ijebu axis of Ogun East has the largest voting bloc and the most local government areas. The Ijebu people control six of the nine local government areas in Ogun East, however, these factors have affected little to no development in Ijebu land, with the vast majority in ruins and lacking modern public infrastructure. Despite this, we have continually supported the Ogun East agenda without fail, and not once did we resort to the RIYE: Remo, Ijebu, Yewa, and Egba informal political arrangement in order for an Ijebu man to occupy Oke-Mosan.

It is important to note that the last time an Ijebu man; Dipo Dina was poised to win the number one seat in the state was 16 years and four months ago, he performed better than Buruji Kashamu with a difference of 9000 votes, both are of blessed memories today. “DD Direct” as he was fondly called in some quarters would have built on his 79, 915 votes he scored with Action Congress (AC) in the 2007 gubernatorial election. While I recognize our regular wins in the Ogun State senatorial district elections since 1999. I would like to remind you and everyone reading that at no point in the history of Ijebu have we had a deputy governor for eight consecutive years without change.

On the other hand, the Remo axis of Ogun East by the end of Dapo Abiodun’s tenure would have had a fair share of 16 years’ rule out of a possible 28 years since 1999. A win for you in 2023 would have resulted in a potential 20-year rule since you have decided to throw your hat in the ring for the coming election.

I ask myself, at what point would the average Remo politician vying for the gubernatorial seat stop using “Ijebu” as a cannon fodder to winning elections, when in reality, there has been a clear distinction? Again, I ask myself, how long do we continue to play the role of big brother in Ogun East by supporting numerous politicians from Remo who hide under the Ijebu tag to curry votes and advance political aims? In the last 8 years, Remo has attracted Industrial Platform, Remo, Gateway Cargo Airport, Customs Training College, Gateway Aviation Village Estate with over 300 units at various stages, and the Sagamu/Remo Industrial Residential Expansion.

In comparison, the major projects that were actualized in the axis in the last 8 years are the Ijebu Ode-Epe Road and the 250 housing units, also in Ijebu Ode.

OGUN 2027

As we approach the polls, your name is in discussion, as are others. However, as someone who believes and follows conviction over circumstances. It would be hypocritical of me to support your ambition and by extension a potential 12-years of Remo governorship. It is on this note that I have decided to support the actualization of the “Ogun West agenda”, except for the emergence of a potential Ijebu, not Remo candidacy.

For clarity, my support for the “Ogun West agenda” is not only political, but in view of developmental spread, since the district is the most rural-heavy senatorial district, except Ota, the border communities mostly live in poverty, with little to no public and social amenities, thus reducing the quality of life and access to opportunities in the district.

If I were to provide counsel, I would have advised that you run for the Ogun East Senatorial District seat, and zone the gubernatorial ticket to Ogun Central as compensation for years of loyalty to the PDP considering they have not produced a PDP gubernatorial candidate.

It is my wish that this piece gets to you and that you also get to read it, I am aware that this is unlikely, knowing some of your close political associates would not be able to withstand the truth therein, but history beckons, hence, I am writing this to you and to serve as a reference. If caution is not taken, respectfully, the House of Representatives may be the height of your political career, a seat you had previously won at the age of 30, before your re-election in 2015.

It was a pleasure working on your campaign team, and I am grateful for the experience, however, I look forward to being on the opposing team for the Ogun 2027 gubernatorial elections.

Oriowo Olalekan Ridwan-Nofiu is an Alumnus of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Ìwòye. He is an Ogun-centric political analyst, observer and participant who writes from Ijebu-Igbo, Ogun State.
Contact: 09074447995, nofiuridwanolalekan@gmail.com