Former Ogun State governorship candidate under the Peoples Democratic Party, Ladi Adebutu, has been released from the custody of the Department of State Services.
His arrest on Monday evening had sparked widespread attention, as it was linked to alleged disturbances during the November 16, 2024, local government elections in the state, where the ruling All Progressives Congress secured a sweeping victory.
Adebutu, who confirmed his release on Tuesday in a statement, decried the allegations against him as unfounded and labeled his detention an effort to stifle his opposition voice.
The former governorship candidate disclosed that he was freed from the DSS facility in Abeokuta at approximately 7 a.m. on Tuesday after responding to what he termed “spurious accusations” related to the conduct of the recent local government polls.
In the statement, Adebutu remarked, “At about 7am, 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.
“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, 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.”
Adebutu’s release comes amid heightened political tensions in Ogun State, where allegations of electoral irregularities have cast a shadow over the local government polls.
Adebutu, a known critic of the APC-led administration in the state, has long championed the need for reforms, particularly advocating for financial autonomy for local governments as a means to foster grassroots development.
The statement further hinted at a forthcoming publication by Adebutu, which he claims will shed light on what he described as a five-year-long effort to suppress local government independence in Ogun State.
His reference to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s similar stance on local government autonomy underscores his position as being rooted in national interests rather than partisan politics.
The incident highlights the ongoing struggle for political and administrative reforms at the grassroots level, a contentious issue in Nigerian governance.
Adebutu’s release and his bold accusations are expected to fuel further debates on the conduct of elections and the autonomy of local government administrations.
