The media aide to Oladipupo Adebutu, former governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State, Mr. Afolabi Orekoya, has refuted claims that his principal was arrested and detained by the Ogun State Police Command.
Orekoya made this clarification on Tuesday in response to a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Dapo Abiodun, Lekan Adeniran, which alleged that Adebutu had been re-arrested after his release from the Department of State Services.
Reports suggested that Adebutu’s arrest was connected to disturbances during Saturday’s local government elections in Iperu-Remo, Ikenne Local Government Area.
The state government accused him of deploying unauthorised police officers from Lagos and coordinating PDP thugs to disrupt the elections.
Among the allegations was that these officers allegedly opened fire on the newly elected Vice Chairman of Ikenne Local Government, Mohammed Efuwape, and a voter identified as Biola.
In his rebuttal, Orekoya dismissed the allegations as baseless, stating that Adebutu had only been invited by the State Commissioner of Police to clarify events related to the local government poll.
“It is a big shame that this is the kind of people we have in the Ogun State government”, Orekoya said.
“They devote precious time that should be used for the development of the state to chasing one man, looking for ways to silence him”, he added.
Orekoya accused the government of fabricating lies to mislead the public.
“It is a known fact that this government thrives on manufactured lies, deceiving the innocent people of Ogun State and the entire country”, he stated.
Reassuring the public about Adebutu’s status, Orekoya emphasised, “I am confirming to the good people of Ogun State and the public at large that Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu is not kept in any police custody at all.
“He went on invitation by the Commissioner of Police to explain his part of the story of the mayhem caused by the APC and their thugs in Iperu-Remo on Saturday, 16 November, during the so-called local government elections and to also show the legitimacy of the policemen attached to him by the Nigeria Police”.
Orekoya further clarified, “He was well received by the State Police Commissioner, Mr. Abiodun Alamutu, and left the police headquarters immediately after his interaction with the Commissioner. How can anyone call that detention?”
He criticised the state government’s alleged fear of opposition, adding, “This is just to let the public know the kind of people we have in government.
“They should be asked questions about why they are afraid of opposition when they claim in their imagination that there is no more opposition”.
