Ladi Adebutu, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the 2023 elections, has been summoned by the Nigeria Police following an earlier interrogation by the Department of State Services (DSS).
This development comes in the wake of allegations connected to disruptions during the local government elections held on November 16, 2024, in Ogun State.
The local elections resulted in a sweeping victory for the All Progressives Congress (APC), which secured all available seats. However, controversy emerged as Adebutu faced accusations of mobilizing about 40 unauthorized police officers from Lagos and coordinating party members to disrupt the electoral process.
After his questioning by the DSS on Tuesday, Adebutu strongly denied the claims, describing them as unfounded.
In his statement, he said, “It was about 7 am, Tuesday, 19th November 2024, I was released by the Department of State Services in Abeokuta following an invitation to answer to various spurious accusations all arising from the November 16 Local Government election in Ogun State.”
He further argued that the allegations were a deliberate attempt to suppress his criticism of the election process. “My contention that those elections were not free and fair is my fundamental right to free speech and free thought.”
