2027: Ogun APC names Adegunwa-Balogun Yayi’s running mate

The Ogun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress on Sunday unveiled Alhaja Kudirat Adegunwa-Balogun, a Chartered Accountant and daughter of industrialist, Alhaji Adebola Adegunwa, as the deputy governorship candidate of the party and running mate to its 2027 governorship candidate, Senator Solomon Adeola, popularly called Yayi.

Governor Dapo Abiodun announced this during the state APC strategic caucus meeting held at the party’s secretariat at Iyana Mortuary, Abeokuta.

Abiodun said the decision was reached after consultations with party leaders and stakeholders in the state.

Adegunwa-Balogun’s nomination follows the earlier zoning of the deputy governorship slot to Ogun East senatorial district and its subsequent micro-zoning to Ijebu Central Federal Constituency.

The 51-year-old finance expert is currently the Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director, Finance and Administration at Rite Foods Limited.

Her emergence is seen by political observers as a strategic move by the ruling party to strengthen its appeal among professionals, women and voters in Ogun East ahead of the 2027 polls.

Speaking while unveiling the deputy governorship candidate, Abiodun praised party leaders and members for maintaining unity throughout the recently concluded primary elections, describing the process as unprecedented in the political history of the state.

He said the APC successfully produced 39 candidates for elective offices from a pool of hundreds of aspirants without internal crises or major disputes.

“I have never witnessed anything like this in my years in politics in Ogun State. For the first time, leaders across generations came together to collectively endorse a successor, and that decision was accepted peacefully by all stakeholders,” Abiodun said.

He noted that the spirit of consensus demonstrated during the governorship primary election helped ensure the smooth conduct of senatorial, House of Representatives and House of Assembly primaries across the state.

“What we achieved reflects the true Ogun spirit. History will be kind to all of us because we have demonstrated that peaceful succession and consensus-building are possible in our politics,” he added.

The governor commended aspirants who stepped aside in the interest of party unity, describing their sacrifices as instrumental to the APC’s stability and electoral preparedness.

Abiodun further disclosed that APC leaders at the national level had commended the Ogun State chapter for conducting its affairs without rancour, litigation or factional disputes.

Speaking further, the governor said, “If the governor is coming from the West, we felt that for equity and fairness, the deputy governor should come from the East. So, we now sat and looked across the local governments in Ogun East, and we consulted across that constituency.

Yes, we’ve accepted. But until this August body ratifies that, we cannot consider it as something that has been formally accepted by the party and the state. So we thought we must bring in the same fashion that we brought the governorship candidate here.

“So today, it gives me great pleasure to announce to you who our deputy governor will be by the grace of God. So today, we have amongst us Mrs Kudirat Abiodun Adegunwa-Balogun, and by the grace of God, Mrs Adegunwa-Balogun will be our deputy governor.”

Also speaking, Adeola expressed confidence in Adegunwa-Balogun’s ability to complement his administration if elected, citing her professional credentials, leadership experience and commitment to public service.

In her acceptance speech, Adegunwa-Balogun described her nomination as a call to service and pledged to deploy her leadership experience in support of Ogun State’s development.

She said her more than three decades of experience in leadership, governance and corporate administration had equipped her with the skills required to contribute meaningfully to governance.

“I see this nomination as a call to duty and a privilege to serve. My over three decades of experience in various leadership and governance roles in the corporate world have prepared me for this moment,” she said.

She added that her association with governance dated back to 1999, noting that her exposure to public administration had provided insight into leadership and service delivery.

Adegunwa-Balogun also referenced the public service career of her husband, who served as a Principal Officer in the Lagos State House of Assembly between 2003 and 2015 before becoming Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos State Security Trust Fund.

“Since 1999, I have been closely associated with governance. These experiences have given me valuable insight into public service, its challenges, its impact and its sacred responsibility,” she stated.

She said her nomination represented an opportunity to promote inclusion of women, youths and grassroots communities in governance.

“This nomination is not about me. It is about our shared responsibility. It is about the inclusion of women, youths and all citizens in shaping the future of Ogun State,” she said.

“Our goal is simple: a state where governance responds to the needs of its people, where development leaves no one behind, and where prosperity is shared by all.”

She pledged to serve with integrity, accountability and transparency while working closely with Senator Adeola to deepen grassroots participation in government.

“I commit to serving with integrity, accountability and deep respect for every citizen. I will work to bridge the gap between government and the grassroots, ensuring that policies reflect the needs and aspirations of our communities,” she added.