Ogun Gov’ship Ticket: ADC Panel Rejects El-Rufai’s ally

Drama unfolded within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Ogun State at the weekend as the party’s Governorship Primaries Electoral Committee declared Dr. Biodun Collins Ogundipe (BCO) the authentic winner of the governorship primary, rejecting an earlier declaration that had Jimi Lawal, a close associate of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, as the winner. […]

Drama unfolded within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Ogun State at the weekend as the party’s Governorship Primaries Electoral Committee declared Dr. Biodun Collins Ogundipe (BCO) the authentic winner of the governorship primary, rejecting an earlier declaration that had Jimi Lawal, a close associate of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, as the winner.

The development has thrown the party’s governorship ticket into controversy after two separate sets of results emerged from the primary election conducted across Ogun State.

Earlier in the week, the Secretary of the Ogun State Primary Election Committee, Barrister Adebimpe Adelowo, had announced Lawal as the winner of the exercise held across the state’s 236 wards.

According to Adelowo, Lawal polled 19,428 votes to defeat fellow aspirants Dr. Biodun Collins Ogundipe, who reportedly scored 5,775 votes, and Dr. Marie Abolaji Odusina, who secured 4,825 votes.

Based on those figures, Lawal was declared the ADC governorship candidate for the 2027 general election.

However, in a dramatic twist, the Chairman of the ADC Primaries Electoral Committee, Adeniyi Adams, at a press conference in Abeokuta, dismissed that declaration and insisted that Ogundipe was the actual winner of the primary election.

Addressing journalists in Abeokuta, Adams stated that as chairman of the 11-member committee mandated by the party to conduct and supervise the governorship primary, he remained the only official authorised to announce the final results of the exercise.

According to him, the committee’s certified results showed that Ogundipe secured 9,370 votes to emerge victorious, while Lawal garnered 6,812 votes and Odusina polled 2,349 votes.

Adams explained that the final outcome followed a review of the voting process, which saw the cancellation of results in Sagamu and Ijebu East Local Government Areas due to alleged overvoting and mutilation of result sheets.

He added that rerun elections were subsequently conducted in Yewa South and Ado-Odo/Ota local government areas to ensure the integrity of the process.

The committee chairman maintained that all decisions taken during the conduct of the election, including cancellations, reruns and collation procedures, were carried out with the knowledge and approval of agents representing all three aspirants.

“With the scores recorded from elections conducted through direct primaries in the 20 local government areas of Ogun State, Dr. Biodun Collins Ogundipe is the winner of the Ogun State Governorship Primary,” Adams declared.

He stressed that it was improper for anyone to declare himself winner outside the official process established by the party.

“Myself, as the Chairman of the Electoral Committee of the ADC Primary Elections, am the one authorised by the party to announce the final results of the election. Whatever anyone had done is not authorised,” Adams said.

He further disclosed that he had completed and submitted his report on the primary election to the national secretariat of the party, adding that the clarification became necessary to prevent the public from being misled about the true outcome of the exercise.

Adams acknowledged that disagreements were inevitable in political contests but urged party leaders and members to remain calm and embrace reconciliation.

“Like every political party, disagreements are bound to arise, but the ADC remains open to reconciliation among aggrieved aspirants and members,” he said.

He called on members to remain committed to the party’s ideals and work towards ensuring victory in the 2027 governorship election.