By Popoola Jamiu, Abeokuta
Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has formally announced Mrs. Kudirat Abiodun Adegunwa-Balogun as the Deputy Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2027 general election, describing her emergence as the product of extensive consultations, equity, inclusiveness, and consensus-building within the party.
Speaking at the APC State Secretariat in Abeokuta during the presentation ceremony, Governor Abiodun explained that the selection of Adegunwa-Balogun as running mate to the party’s governorship candidate, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (Yayi), followed a transparent and consultative process that reflected the party’s commitment to internal democracy.
The governor recalled the April 14 meeting at which the party unanimously endorsed Senator Adeola as its governorship candidate, noting that the unity and maturity displayed by party leaders at the gathering laid the foundation for the peaceful conduct of subsequent primary elections for all elective positions.
He stressed that the consensus reached at the governorship level was replicated in the senatorial, House of Representatives, and House of Assembly primaries, ensuring a rancour-free exercise throughout the state.
“That meeting was very defining and instructive. The decision we took that day and the unanimity of purpose that we all stood for defined the entire primary process. The peaceful display of democracy we witnessed at that gathering was what cascaded down to all other primaries,” he said.
Governor Abiodun commended party leaders and stakeholders for their exemplary leadership and willingness to place the party’s collective interest above personal ambitions, despite the abundance of qualified aspirants for various positions.
He disclosed that the party leadership carefully considered zoning arrangements, equity, fairness, inclusiveness, and the interests of members who joined the APC from other political parties before arriving at decisions on candidates.
The governor further revealed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was impressed by the peaceful conduct of the APC primaries in Ogun State, noting that the President personally sought to know how the party managed to achieve such a harmonious process without post-primary protests or disputes.
Prince Abiodun said attention later shifted to filling the position of deputy governorship candidate, which required broader consultations because of its strategic importance in the party’s electoral calculations ahead of the 2027 election.
He explained that, with the governorship candidate coming from Ogun West Senatorial District, the party resolved that the deputy governorship slot should go to Ogun East Senatorial District in line with the principles of fairness and equitable representation.
According to him, further consultations among leaders from Ogun East led to the conclusion that the position should be zoned to Ijebu land, specifically the Ijebu Central Federal Constituency.
“We sat down and looked across the six local governments in Ijebu. We considered gender balancing, religious balancing, competence, and acceptability. After extensive consultations and careful consideration, we arrived at a candidate who meets all the necessary criteria,” he said.
The governor noted that while the party provided broad guidelines regarding origin, gender, and other balancing considerations for the deputy governorship candidate, the final choice was left to Senator Adeola, who would ultimately work closely with the deputy governor if elected.
“I believe the choice of a deputy governor should largely be that of the incoming governor because he is the one who will work with that person on a daily basis. We had many qualified individuals, but the final decision was left to our governorship candidate, and I am convinced he has made an excellent choice,” Abiodun stated.
He also described Senator Adeola as a highly intelligent and experienced politician whose decision was guided by the best interests of both the APC and Ogun State.
Governor Abiodun disclosed that the unveiling ceremony was necessary to secure the formal endorsement of the party’s highest decision-making body in the state, stressing that consultations alone were not sufficient without ratification by party leaders and stakeholders.
He expressed confidence that Adegunwa-Balogun would make a valuable contribution to the APC ticket and to the future administration of the state.
“It gives me great pleasure to announce to us who our deputy governor will be by the grace of God. We have consulted, we have spoken to leaders, and now we have brought her before this august body for formal endorsement so that the matter can be considered settled,” he said.
The governor subsequently presented Mrs. Kudirat Abiodun Adegunwa-Balogun to party leaders and stakeholders for endorsement as the APC Deputy Governorship candidate for the 2027 governorship election in Ogun State.
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