OLAYINKA OLUKOYA examines the leading deputy governorship candidates in the Ogun governorship race, highlighting the factors working in their favour, the challenges they must overcome, the opportunities and threats that could shape their electoral prospects and what they individually bring to the respective tickets.
The build-up to the 2027 general elections has started in earnest, as political parties are rounding up the submission of names of their governorship candidates and their running mates with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Aside from the major governorship contenders, the choice of the running mates is equally important in determining the extent or how far their influence can go in ensuring victory for their political parties.
Many political parties in today’s political system of Nigeria choose their deputy governorship candidates based on gender, religion, professional competence and majorly to balance geographical balance.
All the criteria mentioned above determined how far each political parties would go in the elections. In Ogun State, the choice of deputies of each political party is key because of the voting pattern at elections in the state. The interest of the three senatorial districts in the state remained critical to the voting pattern in the election.
As of today, only the two major political parties, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have unveiled their running mates. Other political parties, probably due to matters arising from the conduct of the party primaries are yet to announce their running mates.
For the APC, Mrs Kudirat Abiodun Balogun, daughter of a foremost industrialist and a prominent personality in the state was picked as the running mate to Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola in the coming election, while the PDP picked a seasoned journalist and media personality, Alhaja Lateefah Sowunmi-Kolapo as the running mate of Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu. Their nominations were announced shortly after the primaries were concluded.
The choice of Balogun as Adeola’s running mate appears to be a carefully calculated political decision. Senator Adeola is from Ogun West Senatorial District, which has five local governments, and considering the fact that the zone had not been lucky to produce the number one citizen of the state for years.
Kudirat Balogun is a Chartered Accountant, a technocrat and financial expert, who was born to a noble family of Alhaji Adebola Adegunwa, a prominent family in Ososa town in Odogbolu Local Government Area in Ogun East Senatorial District. Her father is a household name in Nigeria’s business world. She possesses considerable social standing and is expected to appeal to women, professionals and sections of the business community.
Aside from these qualities, one of the strengths of Mrs Balogun is the fact that she is a Muslim by religion. Her father is one of the pillars of Islam in the state in particular and Nigeria in general. She is expected to complement Senator Adeola’s grassroots political machinery with a more technocratic and elite appeal. Her choice may also attract female voters at a time when women are demanding greater representation in elective offices.
The APC deputy governorship candidate is not a career politician but a successful business entrepreneur, and being relatively less controversial than many career politicians could also work in her favour.
It was learnt that Balogun has connection with the grassroots despite being a boardroom guru and exceptional administrator. Her biggest challenge may be limited electoral experience.
What about her electoral value? The APC deputy governorship candidate has electoral value. She is a grassroots mobiliser according to information at the disposal of the Nigerian Tribune. However, she still has to prove her political worth as far as Ogun politics is concerned, that she is well connected with grassroots voters beyond elite circles. She will also have to convince sceptics that she can effectively discharge the constitutional responsibilities of deputy governor if elected.
Politically, the APC believes that her inclusion broadens the ticket beyond Senator Adeola’s established political base. Her emergence also presents the party as embracing inclusiveness while projecting competence and stability.
For the PDP, the choice of Lateefah Sowunmi-Kolapo, from Ogun Central, is equally going to be an advantage to the party.
Sowunmi-Kolapo, as earlier said, is a prominent daughter of Egbaland with a Muslim background and an accomplished media personality well respected in all circles in the country. For the PDP to settle for Lateefah Sowunmi-Kolapo as Hon. Ladi Adebutu’s running mate is another strategic PDP move.
She is well connected to the who’s who in the political circle of the country, having distinguished herself as a well-respected journalist. She is the Iya Suna of Egbaland because of her commitment to her religion and her equally strong community credentials. She has served in the capacity as the first Ameerah General in Ogun State.
Sowunmi-Kolapo’s strongest selling point is her acceptance within religious and community circles. She enjoys goodwill among many women and youth groups and is seen as someone capable of strengthening the PDP’s support base in Ogun Central. She is said to possess the quality of humility and accessibility that often resonate with undecided voters.
She is expected to consolidate votes in Ogun Central while softening the party’s image among women and moderate voters.
She could also play an important mobilisation role during the campaign, particularly among faith-based organisations and community groups.
Interestingly, both APC and PDP have chosen women as deputy governorship candidates.
Political analysts believe this reflects growing recognition of women’s contributions to governance and could encourage higher female participation in politics.
Her choice would be one of the determining factors in gathering votes for the party, considering the fact that Ogun West is the stronghold of the APC.
Just like the APC deputy governorship candidate, Sowunmi-Kolapo faces questions about executive and electoral experience. She will have to expand her visibility across Ogun East and Ogun West, where she is less politically established. Although Ogun East appears to be the stronghold of Hon Adebutu and it is going to be the battleground for the election.
Professor Obasanjo Bright Adetola, a distinguished son of Ososa and President of Ososa sons and daughters between 2020 and 2022, said the decision of the APC in picking a daughter of the soil speaks volumes.
The university don who teaches at the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago Iwoye, said the choice of Balogun demonstrated Senator Adeola’s foresight, inclusive leadership, and ability to identify and harness exceptional talent for the collective progress of Ogun State.
He said: “Her emergence is not only a source of pride for Ososa but also an opportunity to strengthen the bridge between our community’s aspirations and the broader developmental agenda of the state. It reminds us that when competence, integrity, and opportunity converge, communities are empowered and development is accelerated.”
Professor Adetola said that Mrs Balogun would bring her wealth of experience to bear as an accomplished technocrat by complementing the effort of her boss, if elected into office.
Speaking with our correspondent, a former chairman of Imeko Afon Local Government, Prince Tosin Adeluyi, said the PDP in Ogun Central no longer has a strong base compared to what it obtained in the last election. He said the party structure is politically weak so to speak.
Adeluyi noted that the PDP is leveraging on the fact that Sowunmi-Kolapo is a strong Muslim, forgetting the fact that the APC deputy governorship candidate is equally from a Muslim background. Her father is the Asiwaju of Ijebuland and well respected in the Muslim community in the state. The two parties would draw their votes from the Muslim body.
In what is expected to be one of Ogun State’s most competitive governorship elections, the deputies may well become decisive assets rather than ceremonial additions to the tickets.
