The Peoples Democratic Party’s 2027 governorship candidate in Ogun State, Oladipupo Adebutu, has taken a swipe at Governor Dapo Abiodun over the prolonged delay in selecting a successor to the late Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona.
Adebutu questioned why the process of choosing a new monarch had remained stalled for seven months, asking whether Ijebuland would have to wait “another 20 years” before a new Awujale emerges.
He spoke on Wednesday in Ijebu Ode during the flag-off of the PDP campaign for the 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections in the state.
The former federal lawmaker accused the APC-led government of frustrating the emergence of traditional rulers in parts of Ogun State, alleging that political interests were being allowed to interfere with the traditional institution.
Adebutu particularly questioned the delay in filling the vacant stools of the Alaperu and Alaye of Odogbolu, before turning his attention to the highly revered Awujale throne.
He alleged that there were attempts to influence the choice of the next Awujale, including an alleged move to bring in a candidate from Lagos.
Adebutu said the people should question why those in government would prevent communities from installing their traditional rulers while simultaneously asking for their votes.
He wondered whether the government intended to keep the Awujale stool vacant for decades, insisting that the controversy was another reason for voters to reject the APC in 2027.
According to him, the PDP’s participation in the election was aimed at freeing Ogun residents from what he described as poor governance, economic hardship and political oppression.
He called on voters to mobilise massively for the PDP, promising that an opposition victory would bring what he described as better governance and development to the state.
Adebutu also urged PDP supporters to learn from the party’s recent victory in the Osun governorship election by protecting their votes during the 2027 polls.
He told supporters not to reject money offered by rival politicians during campaigns but to collect it and still vote according to their conscience.
At the event, Adebutu unveiled former federal lawmaker Wale Ogunbanjo as the PDP candidate for the Ijebu North East/Odogbolu/Ijebu Ode Federal Constituency and Engineer Femi Omotayo, popularly known as Omo Owo, as the party’s Ogun East senatorial candidate.
He described both candidates as accomplished Ijebuland indigenes capable of providing effective representation and promoting development in the region.
Ogunbanjo and Omotayo, in their separate remarks, promised to prioritise accountability, good governance and accelerated development if elected in 2027.
The party’s deputy governorship candidate, Alhaja Yemi Sowunmi-Kolapo, also appealed to voters in Ijebuland to support the PDP, arguing that the party’s policies were focused on improving the welfare of the people.
The controversy over the Awujale stool followed the death of Oba Sikiru Adetona in July 2025 at the age of 91. The revered monarch had spent about 65 years on the throne, making his reign one of the longest in Nigeria’s history.
The selection process has since been dogged by delays and controversies. The Ogun State Government suspended the process in January 2026 following petitions from security agencies and other stakeholders, coming after an earlier suspension in December over alleged procedural issues.
The Fusengbuwa Ruling House, which is constitutionally expected to produce the next Awujale, had earlier produced 95 aspirants — 94 princes and one princess — during its nomination exercise in Ijebu Ode.
The ruling house has subsequently appealed to Governor Abiodun to lift the suspension and allow the kingmakers to resume the process of selecting a new monarch.
With the prestigious stool still vacant, Adebutu has now turned the delay into a political issue ahead of the 2027 elections, putting pressure on the Abiodun administration to explain why the process has remained unresolved.
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