PDP: How Adebutu, Sowunmi-Kolapo Brought Ijebu-Ode, Odogbolu to Standstill
Sunday Ehigiator
Ijebu-Ode and Odogbolu towns in Ogun State stood still on Wednesday as the campaign train of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2027 governorship election arrived in the cities.
Even before the convoys of the PDP gubernatorial candidate, Ladi Adebutu and his running mate, Yemi Sowunmi-Kolapo arrived Ijebu-Ode, a large crowd of party supporters had mobilised themselves for a rousing welcome for the candidates at Lagos Garage area of the town.
The rally soon turned into a full-blown carnival as thousands of indigenes, market men and women, okada riders, farmers, youths and other party faithful poured into the streets in wild jubilation, chanting victory songs as they trekked across streets while Adebutu and
Sowunmi-Kolapo acknowledged cheers from the people.
Also, the presence of the PDP candidate for Ogun East Senatorial District, Femi Omotayo Omo-Owo, added ecstasy to the procession that was already choked with human and vehicular traffic.
Supporters waved banners, party flags and placards bearing photos of Adebutu and Kolapo, calling on bystanders to vote for the PDP in the next year elections.
From Lagos Garage Area, to Kashiru, supporters increased in their numbers, dancing to the loud songs from a disc jockey who kept the crowds entertained during the long trek which later terminated at Stadium where the candidates and other party stalwarts addressed the people of the town.
When the movement got to Oke-Aje market, traders abandoned their wares to identify with Adebutu, assuring him of their votes.
“You’re the one we want; we are tired of this hardship,” a sweet potato trader screamed as the campaign train passed.
At the popular Oke-Aje market, traders were thrown into excitement as the candidates suddenly alighted from the convoy and had personal encounters with indigenes and traders.
Market men and women couldn’t hide their joy as Adebutu, Sowunmi-Kolapo and other party stalwarts patronised them and distributed the bought wares to supporters in a show that observers said confirmed their street credibility.
When the campaign train got to Dagbuwere market at Idowa, indigenes trooped out in their numbers to welcome the PDP governorship flagbearers.
Supporters resisted attack by thugs allegedly loyal to the ruling All Progressives Congress at the boundary between Idowa and Ososa, before the procession had its way.
At Odogbolu, a politically-conscious town in Ogun East, it was a sea of heads as Adebutu’s campaign train arrived the town on Wednesday evening. Canopies had been mounted since dawn, but they could not contain the crowd. Drummers and the famous Odogbo women and men singing in Ijebu dialect – “Ladi de! Ladi de! Omo Ogun ti de!” (Ladi has arrived, the true son of Ogun State has arrived).
Mounting the podium to a thunderous ovation, Adebutu paused, looked round the crowd and spoke in a mixture of English, Yoruba and Ijebu.
“My fathers and mothers of Odogbolu, I did not just come to campaign. I came to make a covenant.
“They tried to stop Ladi Adebutu from coming to Odogbolu but the people resisted them. I said if my people live here daily, I can also come. If you can live with bad roads, I can visit with bad roads. And by the grace of God, when you elect me, we will fix things,” Adebutu assured Odogbolu people.
“I have heard your complaints. Let me speak directly to them. I have been saying it, I will return to local government autonomy. If you recall, when PDP was in power, we developed everywhere. This people have been embezzling public funds. All the pensions owed, I will pay. Pensioners should start rejoicing because good times are here. We will also pay gratuity arrears,” he vowed.
They misappropriated cooperative society funds. You didn’t allow us to do posters. You didn’t allow us to use campaign venue, even in my mother’s hometown, Late Caroline. I am not a stranger here.
“Someone who is fraudulent is not difficult to identify. Why do you take empowerment and benefits meant for Enugu, Ekiti and other states to your constituency? I have evidence to prove that they have diverted over N4 trillion of other states constituencies to Ogun.
“Go to court because I am assertive that Solomon Adeola commonly called Yayi is not only incompetent, he coveted other states’ projects to Ogun.”
“They shot at our windscreen today and our tyres while coming here. I will bring up documents and details of their fraudulent activities,” he revealed, asking the people to vote him in order to make necessary changes.
In her remarks, Sowunmi-Kolapo, urged the people to vote Adebutu and ensure that they resist intimidation.
John Babafemi, former PDP chairman in the Odogbolu Local Government Area of the state, recalled how exciting the governance of PDP in Ogun State was at a time.
He expressed sadness that the government of APC had bastardised good governance and inflicted pains on the people. Kehinde Shogunle, a prominent chieftain of the PDP, and the Director-General of the Ogun PDP Campaign, asked voters to stand by their votes and ensure they are not shortchanged.
Femi Awotayo and other prominent dignitaries of the PDP also called on the people of Ogun State to resist intimidation. Folake Marcus-Bello, a chieftain of the PDP and former Nigerian Ambassador to Zambia, challenged the APC candidate, Solomon Adeola to prove his ancestry in Ogun State.
She vowed to expose the alleged ugly past of the APC candidate following his recent legal threat over his origin in the state.
The PDP Chairman, Abayomi Tella, urged the people of Odogbolu to come out en masse, vote and protect their votes.
“The only solution to this bad governance is for you to vote and stand by your votes. All our National Assembly candidates will emerge and finally, our governorship candidate, Hon. Adebutu will emerge as governor of Ogun State.”
As the campaign train left Odogbolu at sunset, a sea of people trekked behind it to the town’s boundary, still chanting: “Ladi ni! Ladi ni tiwa (Ladi is ours).
In Odogbolu, the campaign was no longer just politics. It felt like a homecoming for a cherished true son of the soil.