By James Ogunnaike, Abeokuta
The Ogun State chapter of the Labour Party (LP) has opened talks with a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and convener of The Alternative Movement, Otunba Segun Showunmi, urging him to contest the 2027 governorship election on its platform.
The move was made on Friday during a visit by the party’s state leadership to Showunmi’s residence in Ibara GRA, Abeokuta.
The delegation was led by the South-West Vice Chairman of the party, Abayomi Arabambi, and the Ogun State Chairperson, Hon. Oluwabukola Soyoye.
Speaking during the visit, Soyoye said Ogun State required a “new era of leadership” and described Showunmi as a political figure whose ideology, capacity and experience align with the Labour Party’s vision for governance.
“We want you to come and join us in the Labour Party and be our governorship candidate in the next election,” she said.
Soyoye accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) administration of failing to maximise Ogun State’s economic potential, insisting that the state deserved leadership capable of better managing its resources and positioning it as a true industrial and investment hub.
“Ogun State needs a fresh direction. The present administration has not fully utilised the opportunities available to make the state live up to its status as one of Nigeria’s key economic corridors,” she added.
Responding, Showunmi commended the Labour Party for what he described as its ideological clarity and internal stability, while also praising the role of its 2023 presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, in expanding the party’s national appeal.
He noted that the party’s performance in the last presidential election, where it polled over six million votes against the ruling party’s eight million, underscored its growing influence and organic connection with Nigerians.
“The Labour Party has shown that it can mobilise people around ideas and principles. What happened in the last election was not accidental; it was the result of consistency and credibility,” he said.
While thanking the party for the offer to fly its governorship flag, Showunmi said he would give the proposal serious consideration, stressing his deep interest in the future and development trajectory of Ogun State.
He, however, reaffirmed his long-standing membership of the PDP, which he said dated back to 1998, and emphasised the importance of a strong opposition in sustaining democracy.
“I have remained committed to the PDP for decades, but beyond party lines, what matters to me is the quality of governance and the future we are building for the next generation,” he said.
On governance in Ogun State, Showunmi identified poor road infrastructure as a major challenge confronting residents, describing it as a source of embarrassment for the state, even as he acknowledged that the incumbent governor had made measurable progress in road construction compared to previous administrations.
“It is a major source of embarrassment that Ogun State has become a signpost of bad roads, such that people break into angry rhetoric whenever they come here,” he said.
“But that does not mean the governor has not done some roads. Truthfully, he has done more kilometres of roads than previous administrations.”
According to him, the major weakness of the current government lies in its failure to fully harness the state’s multiple growth poles across its senatorial districts.
“The challenge is the lack of deep understanding that Ogun State is a state with growth poles everywhere. What we need is leadership that understands these possibilities and intentionally drives development around them,” he said.
On his chances ahead of 2027, the former spokesperson for Atiku Abubakar expressed strong confidence in his capacity to govern the state if given the opportunity.
“With every sense of due respect, I have looked at the horizon, from the toughest to the least, and I can’t find anybody more eminently qualified, more prepared and more intentional about governance than me,” he declared.
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