Adebutu debunks charges by FG over money laundering, others

The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State in the 2023 polls, Ladi Adebutu, yesterday, said he had neither been invited by the police nor served any court document over conspiracy, bribery and money laundering.

Adebutu, who spoke through his spokesman, Afolabi Orekoya, however alleged that the police were covering up investigation into allegations of vote buying and electoral violence against Governor Dapo Abiodun and the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the March 18, 2023 governorship election.

His position is coming on the heels of the Federal Government’s charges against him, the PDP, a commercial bank and its managing director, in the court over alleged conspiracy, bribery and money laundering during the polls.

The PDP governorship candidate also debunked the report that he travelled out of the country to evade arrest, saying he travelled on April 25, 2023 for his usual medical check-up after the election.

“We are just seeing this also in the media and I will just want to make some points clear. I have not been served with any court document as regards any charges, except for the media trial that we are seeing all around to mislead the public and the tribunal,” he stated.

He said his party had, six weeks ago, written a petition to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), demanding probe of Abiodun and the APC over allegations of vote buying, electoral violence and voter intimidation during the election.

Adebutu, who accused the governor and APC of using the police to subvert justice by intimidating and harassing him, alleged that Abiodun and the party used over N3 billion state’s fund to induce voters and thugs to disrupt elections in several parts of the state.

He said: “We have petitioned the police for the past six weeks, but we are surprised why the police have not opened up an investigation into our petition against the governor and the APC.

“We are calling on the IGP to, in the interest of the good people of Ogun State, allow the petition to see the light of the day. They should not cover it up and should not suppress it.”