2027: PDP names Sowunmi-Kolapo as Ogun deputy guber candidate

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State has unveiled Yemi Sowunmi-Kolapo as its deputy governorship candidate ahead of the 2027 governorship election.

Sowunmi-Kolapo, a former Group Business Editor of The Punch newspapers, was presented as the running mate to the party’s governorship candidate, Oladipupo Adebutu, during a ceremony held on Monday at the PDP secretariat in Abeokuta.

The event drew party leaders, stakeholders, youth and women groups, as well as supporters from different parts of the state.

Among those in attendance was former senator and daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Iyabo Obasanjo, whose presence further fuelled reports of her return to the PDP following her recent resignation from the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Her appearance at the event appeared to reinforce growing speculation that the former lawmaker representing Ogun Central Senatorial District has rejoined the opposition party ahead of the 2027 elections.

Speaking at the event, the deputy governorship candidate thanked the party leadership and members for the confidence reposed in her, describing her emergence as a call to greater service and sacrifice for the people of Ogun State.

She pledged unwavering loyalty to the party and its governorship candidate, assuring supporters that she would bring her wealth of experience, commitment and passion for public service to bear in the task of rebuilding the state.

Sowunmi-Kolapo said the “PDP deputy governorship ticket represents a fresh opportunity to deliver people-oriented governance that prioritises economic growth, youth empowerment, quality education, healthcare delivery and infrastructural development.

“Our mission is to restore hope to the people of Ogun State. We are committed to building a government that listens to the people, responds to their needs and ensures that no community is left behind in the development process.”

She called on party members to remain united and committed to the collective goal of securing victory at the polls, stressing that grassroots mobilisation and voter engagement would be critical to the party’s success.

Adebutu described his running mate as a competent, experienced and dedicated politician whose emergence would further strengthen the party’s chances in the election.

He noted that the selection of Sowunmi-Kolapo was the outcome of extensive consultations among party stakeholders and reflected the PDP’s commitment to competence, inclusiveness and effective leadership.

According to him, the combination of experience, vision and grassroots appeal represented by the ticket offers Ogun residents a credible alternative capable of addressing the state’s socio-economic challenges.

Adebutu pledged that a PDP administration would focus on job creation, industrial development, improved infrastructure and policies that directly impact the welfare of citizens.

He explained, “We have been doing this now for nearly ten years. This is the third time, if I count correctly. At the first attempt, we were stopped by the courts when the electoral laws were not so clear and people imposed themselves against the will of the party. If those laws had existed then as they do today, we would already have been candidates and would likely have won.

“Most recently, we contested again, and we sincerely believe we won. We sincerely believe we won. But to God be the glory: when the time is not right, everything does not fall into place. Today, however, I see that the time is right for us and it is the PDP that will form the next government of our dear state.

“We have forty candidates on this stage today, and for the first time, I can tell you that we do not have any weakness in the chain. All forty are steadfast and strong. It is a message to those who wish to study what we are doing: God’s time is the best. I have also delved into the archives to find someone with acumen, that is dedicated, competent, transparent and compassionate and in that pursuit, I found Iya Sunna of Egba land, an accomplished journalist of repute and entrepreneur of excellence

“One important thing in this journey that we are in is that our deputy governorship candidate is so compassionate, these are the types of people we need, the people that care for the masses and care for their welfare. Ogun State as a whole has unanimously chosen her to be my running mate and together we shall deliver the people of Ogun State from the incompetent government of the APC come 2027.”

Earlier, the State Chairman of the PDP, Dr Abayomi Tella, said that the emergence of of Sowunmi-Kolapo as the deputy governorship candidate of the party demonstrated its determination to present its best hands for the task of governing Ogun State.

Tella urged members to close ranks and intensify mobilisation efforts across the state’s 20 local government areas, expressing confidence that the PDP would emerge victorious through unity, hard work and sustained engagement with the electorate.

Party faithful at the event described Kolapo’s emergence as a major boost to the PDP’s campaign, citing her experience, leadership qualities and longstanding contributions to grassroots development.

The Deputy governorship candidate is a seasoned media leader, accomplished businesswoman, author, and distinguished public affairs strategist and consultant with over 26 years of experience in training, writing, editing and shaping narratives at the highest levels of Nigerian and international public life.

Her career spans editorial leadership, corporate communications, government advisory service, entrepreneurship, and political service.

As Founder, Chief Executive Officer, and Group Managing Director of Right-Dev Limited, one of Nigeria’s most respected strategic communications and media consultancy firms, Sowunmi-Kolapo has built a track record of delivering high-impact, result-oriented communications solutions for major clients spanning the private sector, the public sector, and the international community.

She is the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of The Point Newspaper, a national tabloid that has endured for over 11 years.

Her media enterprise further extends to Growth Trackers Initiative, a television production company with an active presence across 12 states of the federation, and she serves as President, Media Transformation and Empowerment Initiative.

Sowunmi-Kolapo served as Special Adviser on Corporate Communications and Strategy to Nigeria’s Minister of Finance and pioneer Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga, under former President Goodluck Jonathan.

In that capacity, she conceived and led the successful rebranding and repositioning of what was then the Federal Ministry of Commerce and Industry into the frontline Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, a transformation that signalled a decisive shift in Nigeria’s economic governance priorities.

A trailblazer in the newsroom, Kolapo made history as the first female Group Business Editor of The Punch Newspapers, Nigeria’s most widely circulated daily. In that role, she authored over 5,000 articles, built and mentored a generation of award-winning business journalists through an effective incentive and accountability system, and consistently positioned the Punch Business Desk ahead of the competition from 2010.

Her incisive Monday backpage economic analyses, published from 2007 to 2011, became required reading among policymakers, investors, and economic commentators, earning her multiple nominations for the NMMA, DAME, and Informed Readers’ Club Awards.

She remains an active and respected voice in Nigerian economic journalism, currently authoring the Monday Compass column in Punch.

In June 2018, through former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s Coalition for Nigerian Movement, she joined the African Democratic Congress, where she was elected its first female Deputy National Publicity Secretary.

Within three months, she was elevated to National Publicity Secretary, becoming the first woman to hold that position in the party’s history — a role she discharged with distinction until October 2020, when she stepped down to focus on her media and business interests.

She is a member of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, a Fellow of the West African Society for Communications and Administration, and a Fellow of the Civilian Institute of Democratic Administration.

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