Next Year: Alake Throws Weight Behind Adebutu's Bid for Ogun State Governorship in 2027

Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, the Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, has given his public endorsement to Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu, the PDP governorship candidate, ahead of the 2027 Ogun governorship election. This endorsement was made when Adebutu, accompanied by his campaign team, visited the Egba Traditional Council to seek the royal fathers' blessings for his governorship bid.

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During the meeting, Oba Gbadebo, joined by the Egba Traditional Council, praised the Adebutu family for their long history of generosity and commitment to Egbaland's development, recalling the contributions of Adebutu's father, Chief Kessington Adebukunola Adebutu.

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Oba Gbadebo shared a story about an Egba association's struggle to acquire a permanent secretariat in Lagos, where they had identified a building opposite the City Hall for purchase, and how Chief Adebutu paid for the building after the members had started making financial contributions.

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Following the story, Oba Gbadebo offered prayers for Adebutu and publicly endorsed his governorship ambition in front of the Egba Traditional Council, expressing his confidence in Adebutu's success.

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Oba Gbadebo quoted, "Eventually, we found a building opposite the City Hall in Lagos and negotiated to purchase it, and as members began contributing towards the cost, Baba Adebutu stood up and told us to keep the money we had contributed, he single-handedly paid for the building."

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The monarch further stated, "That is the father of Oladipupo Adebutu, this step you have taken, by the grace of God, you will never regret, whoever says there will be no way for you, you will eat their funeral akara."

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Oba Gbadebo concluded by welcoming Adebutu and praying for his success, saying, "Once again, I warmly welcome you, and I pray that you will never regret embarking on this journey."

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Adebutu responded by thanking the royal fathers for their endorsement and prayers, and assured them that, if elected in 2027, his administration would grant full financial autonomy to local governments to strengthen grassroots governance.

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Adebutu, who was accompanied by his running mate, Dr. Lateefat Sowunmi-Kolpapo, emphasized that financial independence for local government councils would accelerate development and improve service delivery across Ogun State.

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The PDP flagbearer also emphasized the need for innovative approaches to infrastructure development, rather than relying solely on borrowing, saying, "For electricity, we will pursue a strong partnership between the government and the private sector."

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Adebutu further stated, "You don’t borrow money for infrastructure anymore, I will construct roads that will improve connectivity between Ogun State and Lagos, once we generate adequate electricity, you will see the income of our people increase while the cost of energy comes down."

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Adebutu criticized successive administrations for denying local governments the financial independence they needed to drive development, saying, "This is not about political parties, whether APC or PDP, governors have continued to control local government allocations instead of allowing the councils to function independently."

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He argued that local councils delivered more meaningful development when they had direct access to their allocations and worked closely with traditional institutions, and pledged to build an inclusive administration that would prioritize the welfare of the people.