The Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, has thrown his weight behind the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Ogun State, Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu, declaring that the Egba people can trust him based on his character, family background and record of service.

The revered monarch made the declaration on Sunday while receiving Adebutu and his campaign team on a courtesy visit to the Ake Palace, Abeokuta, as part of the PDP's consultation with critical stakeholders ahead of the 2027 governorship election.

Presenting the PDP standard-bearer to members of the Egba Traditional Council, Oba Gbadebo described Adebutu as a dependable leader who has earned the confidence of the Egba people.

"I am pleased to present Oladipupo Adebutu to all of you as a man who is trustworthy and reliable. May God be with you and continue to stand by you," the monarch said.

The Alake attributed his confidence in the PDP candidate to the enduring legacy of Adebutu's father, renowned businessman and philanthropist Sir Kesington Adebutu, whose contributions to the development of Ogun State and Nigeria, he said, remain remarkable.

Recalling a personal experience spanning more than three decades, the monarch narrated how Sir Kesington Adebutu single-handedly purchased a permanent secretariat for a club after members had begun raising funds to acquire the property.

"I have belonged to a particular club with Baba Adebutu for the past 30 years. We eventually found a building opposite the City Hall in Lagos and negotiated to buy it.

"As members began contributing towards the cost, Baba Adebutu stood up and told us to keep our money. He paid for the building himself. That is the father of Oladipupo Adebutu," the monarch recounted.

Drawing a comparison between father and son, Oba Gbadebo said, "The son of a lion must resemble the lion. In fact, he is an even better version of his father."

The monarch also offered prayers for the PDP governorship candidate, expressing optimism about his political journey.

"This step you have taken, by the grace of God, you will never regret. Whoever says there will be no way for you, you will eat their funeral akara. Once again, I warmly welcome you, and I pray that you will never regret embarking on this journey," he said.

The Chairman of the Party (PDP) in Ogun State, Hon. Abayomi Tella, while speaking alleged that the local government system in the state has collapsed under the administration of the All Progressives Congress (APC), blaming the situation for the lack of development at the grassroots.

Tella said traditional rulers are best placed to appreciate the challenges confronting local councils because of their closeness to the people.

The former Chairman of Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government lamented that despite receiving significantly higher statutory allocations than in the past, many local government chairmen have little to show in terms of infrastructure and basic amenities.

According to him, "When I was local government chairman, I was receiving about N200 million as allocation and we used the money to build roads within the local government and provide other amenities.

"But today, the current local government chairmen are receiving about ten times what we used to collect and yet, they cannot boast of any road construction."

Tella expressed confidence that the PDP governorship candidate, Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu, would reverse the trend by promoting genuine local government autonomy and ensuring that council funds are deployed to improve infrastructure and social services.

He maintained that empowering local governments financially and administratively remains key to delivering meaningful development to communities across Ogun State.