The Ogun State Government has criticised the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), describing it as a party in disarray and incapable of winning elections in the state, following the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)’s victory in the Remo Federal Constituency by-election.

APC’s candidate, Adesola Elegbeji, won the vacant Sagamu/Ikenne/Remo North Federal Constituency seat with 41,237 votes, defeating her closest rival, Bolarinwa Oluwole of the PDP, who polled 14,324 votes.

In the aftermath, the PDP accused the APC, the Nigerian Police, and the Department of State Services (DSS) of electoral violence and irregularities during the Saturday poll.

Reacting, the Special Adviser to the Ogun State Governor on Media and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, in a statement on Sunday, dismissed the PDP’s claims as baseless, saying the opposition party was “crying wolf” after a clear defeat.

Akinmade noted that PDP’s credibility had long been eroded by its alleged history of electoral malpractice, violence, and voter suppression.

He also questioned the moral ground of the party to accuse others, pointing to the arrest of its state chairman alongside some Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials during the by-election for alleged vote-buying.

He further berated the PDP’s 2023 governorship candidate, Hon. Ladi Adebutu, for allegedly failing to turn out to vote, claiming it was out of fear of defeat.

“PDP’s condemnation of the APC and security agencies arose from their resistance to its plan to purchase the election and compromise the electoral process. Its governorship candidate in the 2023 election, along with key officials, is still in court battling charges of vote-buying, conspiracy, and subversion of the democratic process,” Akinmade said.
He insisted that Saturday’s by-election was widely adjudged free, fair, and credible by neutral observers.

“The Ogun State Government is not surprised that, in the face of massive rejection by the people, PDP sought to rubbish the by-election. A party noted for serial violations of democracy, election rigging, and gangsterism, PDP has typically cried wolf whenever the people rejected it and its cash-and-carry campaign,” he added.

According to him, the party had been reduced to “a pathetic carcass” in Ogun State, lacking electoral value, fresh ideas, or popular appeal.

Akinmade maintained that the rejection of the PDP was a reflection of the people’s loss of confidence in the party.
“We believe every suspect enjoys the presumption of innocence, but it is at least instructive to note that it was PDP leaders, not APC members, who were arrested for alleged vote-buying on Saturday,” he said.

“This is a desperate, sinking party whose former gubernatorial candidate reportedly did not even come out to vote, knowing it stood no chance. PDP, an anti-democratic platform, cannot teach Nigerians democracy.”

The Ogun State Government, while thanking residents for supporting APC’s candidate, urged the electorate to “keep rejecting a party that has lost its appeal and betrayed public trust.”