The Ogun State governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Ladi Adebutu, has said that his running mate in the 2023 general election, Adekunle Akinlade won the 2019 governorship election in the State but was rigged out in favour of the incumbent, Dapo Abiodun.

Adebutu said with Akinlade has his deputy governorship candidate, two governorship candidates will be on the ballot against Abiodun.

Adebutu spoke in Abeokuta at the unification meeting with new defectors from other political parties in the State.

Akinlade, the erstwhile political godson of former governor Amosun was favoured by the former governor to clinch the ticket of the APC in 2019, but lost to Abiodun before moving to the Allied Peoples Movement, APM.

Akinlade lost the election to Abiodun after polling 222, 153 vote to Abiodun’s 241, 670.

While speaking during the unification meeting, Adebutu revealed that after losing the ticket of the PDP to the late Senator Buruji Kashamu, he instructed his people to move for APM, ‘and that did massively.’

He further revealed that he had been on the trail of Akinlade for a very long time after the last election, revealing further that Akinlade had always waited for signal from Senator Amosun.

Adebutu, while assuring people of victory in the 2023 general election, insisted that the last minutes appointment by Abiodun will not safe him from impending defeat.

Describing Abiodun’s recent appointments as ‘cosmetic surgeries and appointments’, Adebutu said Abiodun was obviously jittery and desperately fighting to retain power.

Abiodun had recently made some fresh appointments into his cabinet, they include seven new commissioners, a deputy chief of staff, Special Assistants (SAs) and Senior Special Advisers (SSAs).

Adebutu said no amount of consultation, last minute appointments and approval of road contracts can save Abiodun from suffering the same fate Osun state governor, Gboyega Oyetola, suffered at the polls.

“This is a situation that you can describe as crying after spilt milk. The state has seen the truth, he (Abiodun) is just running around and crying, it is too late for him.

"Where was he (Abiodun) three years ago? He didn't make these appointments that he is now making, he didn't do these consultations three years ago, he is now making appointments when the tenure of his government is at the tail end.

"Why did he not care for the people for the last three years? He didn't care for the hospitals, he did not care for the schools, he did not care about the roads three years ago and now he is doing palliatives, running up and down. All these are cosmetic surgeries, it is too late," Adebutu said.

He insisted that, PDP is the only party that can save the state from what he called the "maladministration of APC".

In his remarks, the chairman of the party, Hon. Sikirulai Ogundele welcomed the decampees, urging them to unite and work together in removing APC from power in 2023.