Adebutu Welcomes New Members to PDP Ahead of 2027 Elections in Ogun State

The Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate for governor in Ogun State in 2027, Oladipupo Adebutu, has said that his party is the only one that can bring Nigeria and Ogun State back to prosperity and good governance.

Adebutu spoke on Tuesday at the PDP secretariat in Abeokuta. He welcomed new members who left the All Progressives Congress, the African Democratic Congress, the Yayi Door-to-Door Movement, and other political groups.

At the event, Adebutu asked the new members to finish their registration and encourage others to join before the upcoming elections.

He said, "Today at our party secretariat, we are welcoming new entrants into the Peoples Democratic Party. We know for certain that this is the only vehicle that can take Nigeria and Ogun State to prosperity. We have appealed to everyone joining the party that, if for any reason they have not yet registered, now is the time to do so."

Adebutu criticized the current government for poor leadership and corruption. He encouraged Nigerians to demand accountability when they vote.

He said, "Nigerians must become righteously annoyed because we have an uncaring government. We are witnessing some of the worst cases of embezzlement and corrupt practices from top to bottom. The only way out is for the people to get righteously annoyed and vote these people out."

Public Discontent with APC

The party’s Deputy National Organising Secretary, Dr Sunday Solarin, also spoke. He noted that the rise in defections shows that many people are unhappy with the APC government in Ogun State.

He mentioned that the new members were drawn to the PDP not just because of the party but also due to the candidates, who they believe can provide good leadership.

Solarin said, "What we have done today is to welcome people who are tired of the way they have been governed in Ogun State and Nigeria as a whole. They have therefore left their former political platforms to join the PDP not only because they believe in the party, but because they also believe in the candidates the party has presented."

He added that many people, especially in Ogun Central, are disappointed with the lack of development under the APC government over the last seven years.

“They want good governance. They want a better life. They want prosperity, things they believe they have not found under the APC government for almost a decade,” he said.

Confidence in PDP Leadership

Solarin explained that Adebutu has gained the trust of the people through his long-term engagement and support for communities.

He said, "They have discovered that the PDP, and especially its governorship candidate, can provide that hope. They see him as someone with empathy, someone who is passionate about the welfare of the people and someone who has consistently lived among them for over 35 years."

Speaking for the new members, the Chairman of the Egba Agenda Forum, High Chief Mustapha AbdulAkeem Owolabi, shared that over 4,500 people from the APC, Yayi Door-to-Door Movement, the ADC, and other groups have decided to join the PDP.

He called the defection a sign of growing public anger towards the current government. Owolabi said, "Today, we brought more than 4,500 defectors from the APC, Yayi Door-to-Door Movement, the ADC and other political groups across Abeokuta and the surrounding Egba communities. We have joined the movement that is supporting Hon. Ladi Adebutu for the governorship of Ogun State in 2027."

Owolabi is confident that the PDP will do well in Ogun Central, which he sees as an important area.

“My message is that we should continue to grow in strength because we are determined to defeat the APC, and we will do so by a record margin. People are disappointed with the government of the day. You cannot honestly say life is better today than it was four years ago or even eight years ago.

“If a government has been in office for four to seven years without delivering meaningful progress, people will naturally seek an alternative. That is why people are moving to the PDP in their large numbers, and many more will still join the party because they believe that it is only the PDP that can make life better for every resident of the state.”