. Akinlade’s spokesperson fires back, describes PDP as ‘a party at war with itself’
Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party says its 2023 deputy governorship candidate, Adekunle Abdulkabir Akinlade resigned from the party to formalise his unholy romance with the ruling All Progressives Congress in the state.
Recall that Akinlade dumped the PDP on Monday.
Akinlade had in a statement said his defection from the PDP followed persistent and unresolved internal crises that have been rocking the party.
He expressed regret that the PDP crisis had undermined collective aspirations for a more inclusive, democratic and forward-looking party.
But in a reaction to Akinlade’s claims on Tuesday, Ogun PDP Publicity Secretary, Kayode Adebayo, said the party had nothing to lose.
He accused the former deputy governorship candidate of silently pitching his political tent with the APC government against the party’s 2023 gubernatorial ticket.
Adebayo said, “For us, it becomes imperative, as responsible political organisation to, once and for all, set the records straight so that innocent members of public are not bamboozled into falling for the cries of a completely drowned mercenary.
“Ordinarily, the vituperations of an Akinlade, in this poorly worded litany, deserves no attention as he had since left our great party almost immediately he joined us in 2022.
“It would be recalled that this same character silently pitched his political tent with the ruling APC government against the party’s 2023 gubernatorial ticket by not actively involved in pre, during, and after electioneering campaigns and other activities of our great party.
“This is clearly evident in the results of the elections, even in his home local government area, Ipokia, despite the enormous resources, both human and materials, deployed for the elections directly under his immediate watch.
“Every man must be aware that in every association, there is always a Judas whose aim is to sabotage a collective interest, rather than foster enduring relations and build a stronger front for all concerned.
“It is, therefore, not surprising that Mr. Akinlade resigned from the PDP after several efforts launched, in diabolic company of a few dishonest and overrated individuals, against the party to create disintegration. A hatchet job he volunteered to take up in order to keep body and soul together after the unfortunate loss of our petitions in the court.
“We are, however, grateful to God Almighty, that he has eventually found the balls to formalise his unholy romance with the ruling APC. And for us, we have lost nothing, absolutely nothing, with his expected resignation from our great party.”
PDP also urged other members of Akinlade’s “thoroughly disgruntled camp to make haste in their political voyage to perdition,” stressing that, the party is currently undergoing a period of renaissance that is expected to return it to its original winning ways.
But Akinlade’s camp also fired back, describing Ogun PDP as a party at war with itself.
Senior Media Consultant to Adekunle Akinlade, Akinleye Olu-Philips, while rebutting the claim of the Ogun State chapter of the PDP, said the response was a testament to the culture of blame-shifting, scapegoating and internal implosion that had plagued the party for years.
He maintained that politics is built on structures, integrity and shared vision — three things which, according to him, the state chapter of the PDP failed to uphold.
Olu-Philips insisted that Akinlade’s resignation was not an act of sabotage but a natural outcome of a toxic and dysfunctional party environment.
He said, “For over a year, the Ogun PDP has been in a state of relentless internal conflict, with parallel congresses, multiple factions, and blatant disregard for constitutionally prescribed processes.
“To describe a man of proven loyalty to democratic ideals, an astute political leader, and a grassroots mobilizer as a “Judas” reflects more about the character of the accuser than the accused. It is disappointing — though not surprising — that a party that once begged for Akinlade’s inclusion now seeks to denigrate him simply because he chose to leave a sinking ship riddled with internal betrayal, absence of leadership structure, and chronic disregard for its own constitution.
“To allege that Akinlade covertly worked for the APC during the 2023 election is laughable and cowardly. The facts are on record. Akinlade brought immense strength and strategic depth to the PDP ticket alongside Hon. Ladi Adebutu. His reputation and grassroots base in Ogun State helped boost the PDP’s reach within his region.
“That the party underperformed in certain areas should not be weaponized against one individual — especially when internal sabotage from within PDP ranks did far greater damage to its electoral chances than anything external forces could achieve.”
He maintained that Akinlade is not desperate for relevance, adding that his exit is a massive gain to any political platform that values structure, intelligence and strategic vision.
Olu-Philips advised PDP to conduct an honest self-reflection, and rebuild from its ruins, rather than “issuing bitter press statements”.
