The Ogun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has welcome back the Governorship Candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Hon Ladi Adebutu after medical an eight-month medical vacation abroad
Penpushing reports that ruling party in a statement by the Assistant Publicity Secretary, Olusola Blessed on Tuesday while welcoming Adebutu back to Nigeria, however, advised him to turn himself in to the authorities and defend the vote-buying and money laundering charges preferred against him by the Nigerian Government
“If it is indeed true that Adebutu has returned to the country after being away from the long arm of the law since April this year on the pretext of medical vacation, we welcome him back to his fatherland’, the statement said
‘We also urge him to turn himself in to the authorities and defend the allegations of vote-buying and money laundering levelled against him during the 18th March, 2023 governorship and House of Assembly elections for which some members/agents of his party have already been charged to court’, the scribe wrote
The All Progressives Congress (APC) explained that Adebutu left the country in suspicious circumstances after the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Police in Abeokuta, in a letter dated April 16, 2023 and signed by Muhammed Babakura, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, invited him to respond to a case of conspiracy.
Penpushing further reports that the statement added that other charge includes electoral offences and money laundering received from the Office of the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) of the federation, hence, the ruling party urged him to toe the honourable path by reporting to the police.
The statement recalled that on December 9, 2023, the Ogun State Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) gave the names of its members who were charged for vote-buying by the Nigerian Government as Ogunbona Hammed, Tiramisu Waliu, Egunsola Owolabi, Moliki Badmus and Sanni Adejoke.
Penpushing also reports that Blessed stated that the suspects, according to Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘋𝘳𝘶𝘨 𝘓𝘢𝘸 𝘌𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘈𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘺 (NDLEA) 𝘪𝘯 various locations around the state during the 18𝘵𝘩 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩 2023 g𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘏𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘈𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘭𝘺’𝘴 𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯s, following which ATM cards allegedly meant for vote buying were found on them, adding that Adebutu’s name featured prominently in the police investigation and the subsequent charges by the Nigerian Government against the suspects.
“He should be honourable enough to fulfill the promise of his lawyers to the police in the letter dated May 2, 2023 by turning himself in to the police. He should also allow himself to be served the court papers on the vote-buying and money laundering charges by the Federal Government and keep his date in the court of law’, the statement advised.
“Hopefully, Adebutu would have made himself available to be served the court papers and tried along with others at the next hearing. The trial of the already arraigned members of PDP in the vote-buying and money laundering charges resumes in February 2024 before the Honourable Justice Abiodun Akinyemi of the Ogun State High Court, Abeokuta’, the statement said
Penpushing reports that it is recalled that Adebutu returned to Nigeria on Friday night through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, and was received by his running mate, Hon Adekunle Akinlade; Tola Banjo, and other leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State.
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