The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun state, Ladi Adebutu in a verbal sparring on Friday, accused Dapo Abiodun, the governor of Ogun State of incurring an estimated N86.21 billion debt within one year.
Adebutu argued that the state’s internal debt climbed by 55.4% between 2021 and 2022, but Abiodun reacted angrily, calling him ignorant.
During the official flag off of his campaign in Abeokuta, with thousands of PDP supporters and members, Adebutu made the allegation claiming that, by June 2022, the state’s internal debt profile had increased from N155.57 billion in 2021 to N241.78 billion.
Adebutu said, “The domestic debt profile as recorded by this administration again rose from N155.57bn in 2021 to N241.78bn by June 2022 representing a disheartening 55.4% increase in debt.
“This government has continuously succeeded in enlisting Ogun State in the list of highest indebted states in the country.
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“Under their administration, the state dropped to the 19th position on the 2021 Fiscal Performance Ranking from the 3rd position in 2020, contrary to their fake noise and hype that there was improvement in the internally generated revenue of the state, the sharp slide from the 3rd position to the 19th position within 10 months of review was as a result of the decline in the IGR of the state by about 28.44 per cent. In correct perspective, the IGR dropped with about N20.17bn within a period of 11 months”.
As the PDP pledged to free the state from the “shackles” of the All Progressives Congress (APC), he pleaded with the people of the state to vote against them and its candidates.
Meanwhile, the governor responded by denying the assertion speaking through his chief press secretary, Kunle Somorin.
He said, “he (Adebutu) is ill-informed and he’s merely raking mud and contriving the allegation to call attention to himself, mislead the public and malign a focused, accountable, responsive and responsible promise-keeping administration.
“Governor Abiodun does not engage in frivolous borrowing like Adebutu’s hallucinatory mind conjured.”
Adebutu also unveiled a seven-point agenda of his manifesto, listing security, local government autonomy, rural development, healthcare, education, agricultural development and youths development as his top priorities if voted into power in 2023.
