The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State has accused leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ifo Local Government Area of attempting to pressure a prominent political figure, Chief Joju Fadairo, to withdraw his endorsement of the PDP governorship candidate, Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by Afolabi Orekoya, the PDP claimed that members of the APC’s apex leadership in Ifo visited Chief Fadairo’s residence following his public declaration of support for Adebutu.
According to the statement, the visit came barely a day after the elder statesman reportedly expressed support for the PDP stalwart during an interaction at his residence on Monday.
The opposition party alleged that the APC delegation sought clarification from Fadairo regarding his endorsement and made efforts to persuade him to retract his position.
However, the PDP maintained that the former political leader stood firmly by his decision despite what it described as mounting pressure.
The statement quoted Fadairo as repeatedly reaffirming his position when questioned about his support for Adebutu, adding that the elder statesman eventually responded, “Take it the way you have seen it,” before the visitors departed.
The PDP interpreted the development as a sign of growing support for its political aspirations ahead of the 2027 governorship election, claiming that more influential figures from the ruling party could align with its cause in the coming months.
The party further criticised the APC’s choice of candidate for the 2027 election, alleging that many members and stakeholders within the ruling party were dissatisfied with the decision.
While urging the APC leadership to respect Chief Fadairo’s political choice, the PDP called on the ruling party to focus on addressing what it described as internal challenges rather than engaging in efforts to influence political endorsements.
As of the time of filing this report, the Ogun State APC had not officially responded to the allegations contained in the PDP statement.
