The Ogun State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has unanimously endorsed Alhaja Lateefah Sowunmi-Kolapo as the running mate to Oladipupo Adebutu, the party's governorship candidate for the 2027 elections. This decision was reached at the party secretariat in Abeokuta, where stakeholders and party chieftains from all 20 local government areas gathered to support the choice for the deputy governor slot.
Party Chairman's Remarks
Speaking at the event, the state chairman of the party, Abayomi Tella, criticized the All Progressives Congress (APC) for importing a running mate from Lagos for their candidate, who is also from Lagos. He noted that Senator Solomon Adeola was previously in Lagos, representing Alimosho at the Lagos Assembly before moving to the House of Representatives and the Senate, respectively, to represent Lagos.
Adebutu's Statement
The governorship candidate, Hon. Adebutu, disclosed that his initial attempts to run were halted by the court when the electoral law was unclear in some aspects. He noted that the second attempt gave the party a resounding victory, but it was stolen. He added that through his political structure, many transformers have been provided to all 20 local government councils, along with educational support and healthcare delivery, thanks to his billionaire father, Sir Adebutu Kessington, for their contributions to Ogun State's development. Adebutu emphasized that it is laughable that the APC has imported an expatriate from Lagos to take charge of the state's patrimony. He explained that the party unanimously adopted the deputy governorship candidate based on her experience as an astute journalist and an indigene of Ogun State.
Iyabo Obasanjo's Assurance
Meanwhile, former Ogun Central Senator, Prof. Iyabo Obasanjo, has assured the electorate that the era of stealing votes from the PDP's governorship candidate, Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu, is over. Recall that Adebutu was the party's gubernatorial candidate in the 2019 and 2023 elections. Obasanjo gave this assurance at the unveiling of the party's deputy governorship candidate, Lateefat Sowunmi-Kolapo, at the party secretariat in Abeokuta. Obasanjo, who is also a former Commissioner for Health in the state and daughter of former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, urged the electorate to stand with their votes and not allow what she described as 'votes stealing' in 2019 and 2023 to repeat itself. She insisted that Adebutu was robbed of his mandate in previous elections and assured that such would not happen in 2027 with her influence in the party. Addressing why she joined the PDP after dumping the ruling APC, Obasanjo told her supporters to expect her official defection to the party in the coming days.
Deputy Governorship Candidate's Response
Speaking at the event, the deputy governorship candidate expressed appreciation to the party leadership and members for the confidence reposed in her, describing her emergence as a call to greater service and sacrifice for the people of Ogun State. She pledged unwavering loyalty to the party and its governorship candidate, assuring supporters that she would bring her wealth of experience, commitment, and passion for public service to bear in the task of rebuilding the state. Kolapo said the PDP ticket represents a fresh opportunity to deliver people-oriented governance that prioritizes economic growth, youth empowerment, quality education, healthcare delivery, and infrastructural development. 'Our mission is to restore hope to the people of Ogun State. We are committed to building a government that listens to the people, responds to their needs, and ensures that no community is left behind in the development process,' she said. She called on party members to remain united and committed to the collective goal of securing victory at the polls, stressing that grassroots mobilization and voter engagement would be critical to the party's success.
