Adebutu’s 15-Year Hardship Claim Contradicts Ogun’s Development Record — Arabambi

ABEOKUTA — The Director-General of the Coalition of Opposition Parties in Support of YAYI 4 Governor 2027, Arabambi Abayomi, has criticised the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State, Oladipupo Adebutu, over his claim that the state has endured 15 years of hardship.

Arabambi, in a statement titled “Adebutu and His Herds of Anachronistic Followers Need Our Prayers for Deliverance — The Time Is Now for Ogun State to Be Yayified,” described Adebutu’s claim as an attempt to rewrite the state’s recent economic and developmental history for political purposes.

Adebutu had reportedly spoken at the Ake Palace Pavilion in Abeokuta, where he was quoted as saying that Ogun State had suffered 15 years of hardship.

But Arabambi argued that available economic indicators did not support the PDP candidate’s description of the state, citing increases in the state’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

According to him, Ogun’s GDP, which stood at approximately N2.9 trillion when Governor Dapo Abiodun assumed office in 2019, had risen to about N7.3 trillion by 2024, while IGR increased from N50.6 billion in 2020 to nearly N192 billion in 2024.

He acknowledged that different methodologies could produce adjusted figures but maintained that the overall trend demonstrated economic expansion rather than “15 years of unbroken decline.”

Arabambi also challenged Adebutu’s position on pension and gratuity payments, citing figures released by the state government.

He said the government had disclosed that gratuity arrears owed retirees from 2012 to 2020 had been cleared, while N23.3 billion had been paid in gratuities and N32.8 billion in inherited liabilities for local government retirees.

He further cited government figures showing that N93.26 billion was paid to state pensioners under the Defined Benefits Scheme between 2019 and July 2025, while N94.78 billion was paid to local government pensioners.

The coalition said the state government had also maintained that pension payments had not been missed since 2019.

On claims concerning workers who retired from July 2025, Arabambi said the government had explained that more than 300 affected retirees were receiving six-month palliatives pending the completion of documentation.

He argued that the issues surrounding pensions and gratuities were therefore more complicated than the “villainy and victimhood” narrative allegedly being promoted by the opposition.

Arabambi, however, acknowledged that Ogun State still faced challenges, saying Adebutu could make a stronger political case by identifying specific problems and offering practical solutions rather than relying on what he described as a broad narrative of “15 years of darkness.”

He also challenged the media to interrogate political claims rather than merely reproduce statements made at campaign events.

According to him, journalists should ask politicians to provide evidence for their claims and examine what government records show.

“If Adebutu wants to be governor, he should tell us what he will do differently,” Arabambi said, challenging the PDP candidate to explain how he would strengthen Ogun’s economy, address pension obligations and finance his proposed “ITURA DE” agenda within Nigeria’s prevailing fiscal constraints.

He also questioned Adebutu’s claim that his roots, wealth, enterprises and sweat had been “irreversibly planted” in Ogun State for more than 31 years, saying political rhetoric should be matched with concrete policy proposals.

Turning to the performance of the Abiodun administration, Arabambi said the case for continuity in Ogun was based on projects and infrastructure that, according to him, could be physically assessed across the state.

He highlighted the Gateway International Airport in Iperu-Remo, the Muhammadu Buhari Estate, the 200-bed Gateway Medical Centre, the 34.1MW Onijanganjangan Independent Power Project and the construction or rehabilitation of more than 1,600 kilometres of roads.

He also cited the completion of 140 primary healthcare centres as evidence of the administration’s investment in infrastructure and public services.

Arabambi linked the achievements of the administration to Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, whom he described as Abiodun’s chosen successor.

He said Adeola had, within three years, demonstrated capacity across Ogun’s three senatorial districts and pointed to the construction and delivery of a fully furnished 12-classroom block at Baptist Boys High School (BBHS), Abeokuta, complete with staff rooms and a library facility, as one of the projects associated with his intervention.

The coalition Director-General said Ogun residents should carefully evaluate competing claims ahead of the 2027 governorship election.

He maintained that Adebutu’s “Call to Liberation” could either become the beginning of a genuine political reckoning or amount to what he described as “a cry for power dressed in the language of the people.”