It has emerged that Governor Dapo Abiodun, who was declared the winner of the Ogun gubernatorial elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on March 18, has asked his opponent Ladi Adebutu to admit defeat and withdraw his request from the court.

It is recalled that multiple manipulations, intimidation, harassment, vote buying, manipulation, ballot box snatching, and electoral fraud were profiled. These flawed experiences was blamed on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) which failed to live up to it's promises to conduct credible elections. Consequently, several candidates, considering themselves cheated, decided to take legal action to seek redress.

However, Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, who was reelected under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), probably expecting an unfavorable outcome from the court decided to broker peace with his closest rival, Ladi Adebutu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

To plead his case, Governor Abiodun reportedly sent the Akarigbo of Remo, Babatunde Ajayi, and other traditional chiefs from the state to London to meet Kesington Adebutu, Ladi's father, in the hope of brokering a settlement agreement that would end the litigation.

According to sources familiar with the matter, Akarigbo was accompanied on the trip by Coleman Cable Chairman Asiwaju Solomon Onafowokan; Otunba Tunji Lawal-Solarin, President of the Remo Growth and Development Foundation; Adewale Osiberu, Elepe van Epe; and Timothy Adesanya, Ewusi of Makun.

It has been revealed that the traditional rulers expressly stated that they were sent on a trip by Governor Abiodun, who complained to them that he had lost focus and could not control the state due to the ongoing legal battle against his re-election .

It is recalled that Ladi Adebutu contested on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against Abiodun. However, returning officer Kayode Adebowale of the University of Ibadan was alleged to have violated election law when he declared Dapo Abiodun the winner, despite a slim margin remaining on the voided votes in the election.