Cracks in Ogun PDP as Adebutu’s Personal Assistant, others join APC

The Hon. Ladi Adebutu faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State appears to have lost some of its prominent members to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

A close ally of Adebutu, who happened to be his Personal Assistant, Hon. Azeez Bello, defected from the PDP on Friday.

Bello, who is fondly addressed as Arole, and one Mrs. Josephine Makanjuola had led a number of decampees to the Governor Dapo Abiodun faction of the APC.

The estranged Adebutu’s personal assistant, Arole, had said, “our decision to dump the Lado group became imperative after realizing the group has no vision. It is a group full of money mongers who are not ready to record any progress politically other than for self-aggrandizement. We wanted a platform with focus and vision, after a thorough search and deliberation, we found the APC as the best option.”

The defectors had been received by the Special Adviser to Gov. Abiodun on Political Matters, Hon. Biyi Adeleye.

Adeleye, in his remarks, appreciated Arole and his team for identifying with the Ogun State Governor and the APC.

Ottagistreel gathered that Arole had been the right-hand person to Adebutu since the time he was in the House of Representatives.

A reliable source told Ottagistreel that the Sagamu Local Government indigene ‘broke up’ with his former boss after the last PDP congress in Ogun state.

The source confided in our correspondent that Arole went up in arms with some leaders of the party over the choice of candidates.

“At the time, Bello expected to have the support of Adebutu, as a result of their closeness, so as to have his loyalists in the state executive of the party.

“But, Adebutu hands were tied. This was because of the calibre of people Arole was having issues with in his local government.

“The governorship aspirant tried to pacify Arole but he was adamant. This was somebody who used to oversee everything that had to do with Adebutu, including bank transactions. Let’s see if he can enjoy that kind of privilege wherever he defected to,” a close source, who pleaded anonymity, told Ottagistreel on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the PDP has reacted to the defection of its members to the APC.

The party said it can only wish the decampees well in their voyage to the ruling APC.

Responding to a message sent to him by our correspondent, the Publicity Secretary of the PDP in Ogun State, Akinloye Bankole, in a short reply, said:

“We can’t really stop anyone who prefers to sacrifice established personal relationship on the altar of petty politics. We wish them well always