The deputy governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State, Yemi Sowunmi-Kolapo, has said that her party is confident of winning the 2027 governorship election in the state, saying that the party was not afraid of litigations might arise.
Sowunmi-Kolapo spoke on the sidelines of the ongoing Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) conference in Enugu, Enugu State on Thursday.
Sowunmi-Kolapo spoke on the background of a paper entitled: “Election Petitions in Digital Age: Independence, Evidence, BVAS and the Courts” delivered by a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mazi Afam Osigwe (SAN).
Explaining that INEC had a lot to do ahead of the 2027 polls to ensure minimal litigations after the election, Sowunmi-Kolapo added that the PDP in Ogun State would win the election by a wide margin.
“When elections become very transparent, most participants usually accede to defeat. Most post-election litigations arise from alleged unfairness and fraud at the polls,” she said.
She said that the 2027 general election would no longer be a litmus test for INEC and the Judiciary but would determine whether Nigeria’s democracy could still stand.
“INEC and the courts must weigh the implications of any intentional denial at the polls. Most Nigerians have lost interest in the elections but 2027 will determine whether there will be participatory democracy or none again in the country.
“Nigerians are wiser. The youth have come of age and are poised to see that the right thing is done.
“In Ogun State, we are not just campaigning, we are educating people on their rights to vote, protect their votes and resist intimidation by those who are not even true stakeholders like them.
“The media also have a huge role to play in advocacy to ensure that the right thing is done,” she said.
The deputy governorship candidate, however, said, unlike the notion that there would be no contest, in the true sense, in some states, Ogun election would be keenly contested and that “the PDP will emerge victorious.”
According to her, their people in Ogun state “are ready and will do everything lawful to ensure that their votes count in 2027 and they will count.”
