A governorship hopeful of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 election in Ogun State, Hon. Ladi Adebutu, has accused the state Governor, Dapo Abiodun of hijacking the annual Akesan Day celebration of Iperuland and turning it into a political rally.

Adebutu made the allegation while addressing journalists at the festival in Iperu on Sunday.

Adebutu who said Abiodun would be sent packing after next year’s election, said the state would witness “good governance and enjoy peace.”

Adebutu said: “In the next six months comfort shall return to the people of Iperuland and the entire Ogun people, we shall have security, we shall have good governance, we shall have peace in our State and shall have a system that is all embracing.”

Adebutu also said, “Turning the festival into a political rally has deprived the people of Iperu a benefiting Akesan day celebration.

“Before today, we have always had a nonpartisan activity, but you can see the folly of today’s activity. Somebody because of your little mindlessness has turned it into a partisan event. This occasion is an Iperu event, but it has been turned into a campaign event for one person and it has been dragged into a campaign movement for one person.

“This is meant to be for Iperu and for Iperu indigenes as a whole, but somebody has dragged it into one person single event and if that is the case, we can leave him to go and do his thing and the rest of Iperu will go and do our thing, one person can not be the entire Iperuland.”

Both Adebutu and Abiodun are prominent indigenes of Iperu in Ikenne Local Government Area of the state.

While Abiodun is a Prince of Iperu, Adebutu is a high chief, the Seriki of Lopere of Akesanland, a title which makes him one of the kingmakers in Iperu.

Akesan Day is an annual festival where sons and daughters, including well-wishers of the town, converge for the celebration.

But this year’s celebration witnessed a new twist as both Abiodun and Adebutu held separate celebrations at different locations in the town.