2027: Ogun People Will Decide The Next Governor: Says Showunmi

Political realignments ahead of Ogun State’s 2027 governorship election intensified on Friday as the Convener of the Alternative Movement, Chief Oluwasegun Showunmi, formally declared his intention to run for governor,  said that Ogun People will decide the next Governor not few individuals.

Showunmi, who made the declaration during a courtesy visit to the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) secretariat in Abeokuta, called on opposition parties and political groups to build a grassroots-based coalition to challenge what he described as the “fumbling” of dominant political parties.

The former spokesperson to ex–Vice President Atiku Abubakar also challenged all governorship aspirants, including any endorsed or consensus candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), to an open public debate to test their political depth and readiness to govern.

“As we proceed towards the 2027 cycle, the critical question is this: will Ogun State subject itself to a coronation, or will we, for the sake of our children and future generations, allow a truly competitive process?” Showunmi asked.

He acknowledged that Ogun West has historically been excluded from producing a governor, describing the zone’s aspiration as “quite legitimate.”

 However, he warned that such aspiration must not be imposed through consensus arrangements that deny the electorate a real choice.

“Ogun West’s over 50-year exclusion from the governorship makes its aspiration legitimate,” he said, “but an aspiration ceases to be an aspiration if there is no contest.”

Declaring his ambition, Showunmi stated: “I will be running for governor in the 2027 governorship election. I have come to plead with you to set up a small committee among yourselves to determine how we can collaborate to make this happen.”

He dismissed ongoing coalition talks among national political leaders in Abuja, insisting that any viable alliance must be built from the grassroots.

“You cannot create a coalition from the top. If there must be a coalition, it has to start from the base. Even presidential authority is generated from the base,” he said.

According to him, internal crises and legal battles have weakened major parties. 

“It is clear that even the big parties are fumbling. They have trapped themselves in legal cases that no single party can carry alone,” he added.

Showunmi also rejected what he termed “money politics,” calling instead for an issue-based campaign ahead of the 2027 polls.

“I do not believe that the governorship of Ogun is about sharing rice or distributing money,” he said, arguing that the state’s future requires “intentional design,” not handouts.

Reviewing Ogun’s leadership since 1999, he said the state has reached a defining moment after the administrations of Gbenga Daniel, Ibikunle Amosun, and the incumbent, Dapo Abiodun.

“I believe we are now at a realistic turning point where the conversation must be: which way forward? What do we need to do?” he said.

He maintained that Ogun cannot progress on transactional politics.

 “Nations are not built by saying, ‘I gave money’ or ‘I shared something in the market.’ Nations are built by intentional designs that assess where we are and determine where we need to go.”

Invoking Ogun’s intellectual heritage, Showunmi described the people as “children of Obafemi Awolowo, Wole Soyinka, and MKO Abiola—pioneers who think beyond the ordinary.”

Declaring that he is not seeking power for its own sake, Showunmi said: “I am not coming to rule. I have lived among you. You have questioned me, and I have answered frankly, bravely, and honestly.”

He described himself as a bona fide son of Ogun State with no record of thuggery and again challenged other aspirants to face him in a public debate.

“I challenge all aspirants, whether endorsed or consensus candidates. Let us debate the future of Ogun and what the next level should be,” he said.

Earlier in how welcome address, the Chairman Inter-Party Advisory Council Ogun state council,  Comrade Abayomi Sanyaolu welcomed Showunmi.  

He noted IPAC remained a trusted a political platforms, stating that the council had recognised him as aspirants.  

Sanyaolu emphasised the importance of grassroots mobilisation and inclusiveness.