A bombshell allegation has rocked the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Nigeria, with claims emerging that a high-ranking member, Adebutu, accepted a staggering N650 million in cash from the Action Peoples Movement (APM) during the 2019 elections.
According to Akinlade, the source of the allegation, Adebutu’s alleged acceptance of the payment was intended to influence his actions against the PDP, his own party. The claim suggests a shocking betrayal of trust and loyalty within the party ranks.
He further alleged that Adebutu refused to release campaign fund for mobilisation until the morning of the election.
He revealed that Adebutu also collected N650m cash to work against PDP in the 2019 general election.
The former House of Representatives member said despite the huge money, Adebutu added no value to the election as he lost his ward, his local government and the senatorial district to the opposition All Progressives Congress.
Akinlade, who was the candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement, APM, in the 2019 election, in a statement submitted to the PDP caretaker Committee in Ogun, said Adebutu’s anti-party was responsible for the PDP coming fourth with 70,000 votes in the election.
In 2019, Adebutu battled the ticket of the PDP with late Senator Buruji Kashamu, who was later favoured by the court few days to the election.
In the statement tagged ‘My Position’, a copy of which was obtained by the media, Akinlade also alleged that Adebutu’s high handedness cost the PDP victory in the 2023 election.
“In the buildup to the 2019 general elections, the ‘leader’ collected N650, 000,000 cash from us to support my candidature in APM against his party’s candidate while remaining in PDP.
The consequence of that anti-party action was that PDP ended up scoring around 70,000 votes to come forth in that election,” Akinlade submitted in the statement.
When confronted by the media to clarify who ‘the leader’ was, Akinlade said it was Adebutu, confirming further, “About three days when Buruji Kashamu emerged as the candidate of the party, some people reached out to Adebutu and his group that they should come and support my candidature in APM.
“Naturally in politics, except for people like us who do things with passion, they requested for money and we gave then N650m cash, we gave the money, the took the money and eat the money and did nothing because he lost his ward, he lost his local government, he lost his senatorial district, he did not win it for me in that election.”
According to him, all pleas by the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to have former Governor Gbenga Daniel on the PDP’s ballot as senatorial candidate in 2023 were rebuked by Adebutu, the development which he said cost PDP three House of Reps seats in Ogun East.
“In 2022, the PDP presidential candidate, H.E. Atiku Abubakar visited Ogun State twice to plead with him to allow Otunba Gbenga Daniel, a two-time governor of the state, his political benefactor, to run on PDP platform as the Senatorial candidate, but in his usual high handedness, he vehemently refused. This action cost PDP the three House of Representatives seats in Ogun East, at least.
“In February 2023, the presidential campaign funds was delivered to Dr Sunday Solarin at ParkInn hotel Abeokuta, he did not disburse the funds until early morning on election day…we later found out that he deliberately jeopardised the presidential election for his ambition.”
Responding, Adebutu described Akinlade as a terrible ingrate adding that the PDP was only mobilised in 2019 election and that he had to made available additional fund for election logistics.
Adebutu who spoke through his media aide, Afolabi Orekoya, who’s also a member of Caretaker Committee in the State, said the PDP did not engage in anti-party activity but a decision made with consultation with the national leadership of the PDP.
“He’s saying he gave 650m, did he had that money? Where would he get N650m in 2019? And did Ladi Adebutu collected any Kobo from him? Was he there when Governor Amosun sent their party leaders to meet with the party leaders of PDP then?
“It was an alliance just like we also enjoyed in 2023 which was made public. It was not as if it was an anti-part activity that was done under disguise, it was in the public glare.
“No Kobo was given to Adebutu as a person, leadership of their party mobilised the leadership of the party for logistics and not to Ladi Adebutu, of which Ladi Adebutu still gave additional fund to support that mobilisation,” he said.
While Adebutu has yet to publicly respond to these allegations, the news has sent shockwaves through the political landscape. The PDP has faced internal conflicts in the past, but this alleged incident raises serious questions about party loyalty and the influence of external forces.
As the situation unfolds, party members and supporters eagerly await Adebutu’s response to the allegations. If true, this incident could have far-reaching implications for the PDP’s internal dynamics and future electoral prospects.
