Otunba Segun Showunmi, a PDP chieftain in Ogun, has admitted that he might work against Oladipupo Adebutu, the party’s candidate for governor, winning the state’s March 11, 2023 governorship election.
Showunmi’s choice was based on Adebutu’s lack of respect for one another and his unfriendly demeanor.
Showunmi hinted that Adebutu had taken him for granted and that, as a result, he could not guarantee him the support of his group for the governorship election when he spoke to party members and supporters at a stakeholders’ meeting on Friday.
He said, “Zero plus hundred is equal to zero and I said very emphatically any day the Supreme Court call our case, then you and your friends are going to know that the principle of law is that you cannot build something on nothing stands absolutely perfect for all of time.
“So, like I said in my open statement, I am committed to Waziri Atiku Abubakar, you all my people are committed, you are all witnesses that I have visited Adebutu a couple of times. I sent him condolences for his mother, I even went to his father’s house to sign the condolence register.
“Is the distance from my own house to Adebutu’s house, not the same distance from Adebutu’s house to my house?
“I cannot promise you that those who take us for granted can enjoy our support, I can only promise you that the first election we are for PDP, and when the first election is done, we can reconvene again to take further decisions. Anything can change tomorrow. We are used to being PDP, in 2019 when judgment came at the last minute, we stood with PDP, they are the ones who are merchandising the party.”
Showunmi equally used the occasion to exonerate PDP from the economic hardship occasioned by the Naira and fuel scarcity in the country.
He blamed the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for inflicting hardship on Nigerians through the redesigned Naira policy.
Showunmi’s statement was in reaction to a statement credited to former PDP Deputy National Chairman, Bode George, who decried the “conspiratorial silence” of the presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar on the naira and fuel scarcity.
George also questioned the “silence” of the National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, and Campaign Director-General, Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State.
The former Ondo Military Governor wondered why the voice of Atiku, Ayu, and Tambuwal “is drowned in perpetual silence” with the presidential election just two weeks away.
But Showunmi in a counter-reaction said Chief Bode George goofed by calling on security agencies to arrest the party chieftain for wrong accusation.
“Those who are unhappy with party chairman related issues or otherwise can throw caution to the wing in the manner Chief Olabode Goerge has taken it. I think the security officer should first arrest him and ask him to provide evidence.
“Is it the people he alleges that done the policy or change of currency? Are they the ones in charge of Nigeria Security minting and printing? Are they the ones in charge of the Currency circulation of the CBN? So, therefore, Chief Ibiyinka is wrong.
“The PDP has no hand in the madness going on here, it is purely the failure of the APC, their government, their policy, and a failure of their responsibility and leadership. People are sabotaging the country to this extent, is it Bode Goerge that would come and arrest them or investigate them? Is it not the responsibility of the Federal government?/Nobody should play dangerous politics with the PDP.
“I do not have any splitter of information to suggest that those men could have been involved and if Chief Bode is so sure, then, I call on the Director-General of DSS, IGP police, and all responsible organizations of security to arrest him forthwith and ask him to provide evidence over the weighty allegation that he’s making.”