Ladi Adebutu, the 2023 governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has reacted to his arrest and detention by the Department of State Services, DSS.
Explaining what transpired, he revealed his arrest was over his objection to the conduct of the November 16 local government elections.
Adebutu in a press conference on Monday said Saturday’s election was not free and fair.
Recall that shortly after the press conference, Adebutu was arrested and detained by the DSS.
Adebutu who was released at about 7am on Tuesday, told DAILY POST that the allegations levied on him were baseless and aimed to silence him as a voice of the opposition.
He said, ”At about 7am, Tuesday, 19th November 2024, I was released by the Department of State Services, DSS, in Abeokuta following an invitation to answer to various spurious accusations all arising from the November 16 Local Government election in Ogun State.
“Very sadly, the allegations were so baseless that it became clear that their purpose was to silence me as a voice of the opposition. My contention that those elections were not free and fair is my fundamental right to free speech and free thought.
“My thinking that the Local Government should have financial Autonomy that can only be enforced by free and fair elections is germane to our development. Mr President, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, shares the same view as mine which shows it is not a partisan position but a nationalistic one.
“However, because of the particular situation of Ogun State over the last five years which I shall publish shortly, desperation has set in to emasculate the third tier of government completely, this is the struggle for our development” he stated.