The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ogun State for 2023, Ladi Adebutu, on Thursday, described himself as a peace-loving politician rather than a desperate one.
Adebutu said it was for the sake of peace that he restrained his supporters from toeing the path of violence during the 2023 election.
According to him, there would have been violence if he had not restrained his supporters from behaving like members of the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress.
He alleged that the hoodlums allegedly sponsored by the ruling party went away with the act because he did not allow his supporters to repay violence with violence.
Adebutu spoke at Ijeun-Akoni, a remote community in the Odeda Local Government Area of the state, during the 92nd remembrance anniversary of his great-grandfather, Pa Alimi Adebutu.
Pa Adebutu died and was buried in the community in 1932.
Speaking with newsmen after the prayer session, Adebutu said,
“I believe in life after death, that is me. That is why you will see in the kind of politics that I play. You will never see violence, you will never see desperation.
“One reason why 99 polling booths in the last elections were destroyed was because I refused that my people should repay violence with violence. I cannot be part of the process of spilling blood. I can’t. This is because I believe life continues after death. I am always being careful,” Adebutu said.
He said Pa Adebutu, a trader and agriculturist, lived, died and was buried in the community as against his hometown because of his good deeds and contribution to the development of the community.
“It’s good to be good. After 92 years, these people have not forgotten him. They spoke glowingly of him. When he died, they refused that his corpse should be taken home because the man served the community well. When you do well, your legacy lingers,” he said.
However, reacting to Adebutu’s remarks, the Ogun State APC spokesman, Tunde Oldunjoye, said, “Let him be campaigning after the election. The public knew those who engaged in violence and other criminalities; they are not that forgetful.
“Adebutu should concentrate on his ongoing trial for vote-buying.”
