Ogundipe Clears Air on Ogun ADC Governorship Ticket

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate in Ogun State, Biodun Ogundipe, has dismissed reports of a crisis over the party’s 2027 governorship ticket, insisting that he remains the recognised candidate of the party.

Speaking during a meeting with journalists on Monday, Ogundipe said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the national leadership of the ADC recognise his candidacy ahead of the 2027 governorship election.

The artificial intelligence expert said he joined the race because he wants to address poor governance, insecurity, unemployment and other challenges affecting residents of Ogun State. He added that his administration would use technology to improve security and create an environment where businesses can grow without fear.

Reacting to claims of a dispute over the party’s governorship primary, Ogundipe said there was no parallel primary election. He explained that he contested against Jimi Lawal and Marie Odusina and emerged victorious after votes from the local government areas were counted.

According to him, only the results from two local government areas were disputed, while the remaining results had already been accepted by all parties. He said it was jointly agreed that a rerun would be conducted in the affected areas before the final outcome.

Ogundipe stated that officials of the Department of State Services (DSS) and journalists monitored the exercise, adding that the process was transparent. He maintained that any claim by another aspirant to the ticket was an attempt to mislead party members and the public.

He said the ADC national leadership had already submitted his name to INEC as the party’s governorship candidate. He added that anyone dissatisfied with the outcome was free to use the party’s internal appeal process or seek legal action.

Ogundipe also said he remains the candidate recognised by the party’s National Chairman, Senator David Mark, and National Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola.

Speaking on his motivation for seeking office, he said he could no longer ignore the hardship faced by many residents, including unemployed graduates, struggling parents, artisans and children who are out of school.

He said Ogun State has enormous economic potential that can be properly developed through careful planning instead of what he described as uncoordinated government projects.

The ADC candidate disclosed that his administration would implement the Ogun One Economic Blueprint, a development plan prepared over the past 19 months. According to him, the document provides separate economic strategies for each local government based on its strengths and available resources.

He said every government project should contribute directly to economic growth, job creation and improved living standards rather than being executed without a long-term development plan.

Ogundipe also criticised delays in the payment of pension benefits, saying pensioners should not wait for years to receive their gratuities or experience delays in contributory pension payments.

Security, he said, would receive immediate attention if elected governor. He explained that his background in artificial intelligence and intelligence systems would help the state tackle crime through technology instead of relying only on conventional security methods.

Ogundipe said he has worked on intelligence solutions for multinational organisations and international security agencies, giving him the experience to introduce modern crime detection systems capable of identifying threats before they occur.

He added that if state policing becomes operational, his administration would deploy advanced intelligence technology to improve security across Ogun State.

The ADC governorship candidate also expressed confidence in the party’s chances at the 2027 election, saying technology would be used to monitor the electoral process and protect every valid vote cast for the party.