The Deputy Governorship Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State, Yemi Sowunmi-Kolapo, has expressed confidence that the party will win the 2027 governorship election in the state by a wide margin.
Sowunmi-Kolapo also said the party was prepared to face any legal challenges that might arise from the election.
She spoke on Thursday on the sidelines of the ongoing Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) conference in Enugu, where discussions focused on electoral processes and the role of institutions in ensuring credible elections.
Her comments followed a paper titled “Election Petitions in Digital Age: Independence, Evidence, BVAS and the Courts,” delivered by a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN.
Sowunmi-Kolapo said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had an important role to play ahead of the 2027 elections, particularly in ensuring that the process was transparent enough to reduce the number of post-election disputes.
She maintained that the PDP in Ogun State was confident of securing victory, regardless of the actions of the ruling party.
According to her, transparent elections would make it easier for candidates and political parties to accept the outcome, while allegations of unfairness and electoral fraud often lead to litigation after elections.
She said the 2027 general elections would go beyond being a test for INEC and the judiciary, arguing that the exercise would have implications for the future of participatory democracy in Nigeria.
Sowunmi-Kolapo also urged electoral authorities and the courts to consider the consequences of any deliberate denial of citizens’ rights during the electoral process.
She said Nigerian youths had become more politically aware and were prepared to defend their voting rights.
“In Ogun State, we are not just campaigning, we are educating people on their rights to vote, protect their votes and resist intimidation by those who are not even true stakeholders like them,” she said.
The PDP deputy governorship candidate also called on the media to play a greater role in educating voters and advocating for a credible electoral process.
Contrary to suggestions that elections in some states may not be genuinely competitive, she said the 2027 governorship election in Ogun State would be keenly contested.
She expressed confidence that PDP would emerge victorious, adding that party supporters in the state were prepared to take lawful steps to ensure their votes counted.
“Our people in Ogun State are ready and will do everything lawful to ensure that their votes count in 2027 and they will count,” she added.
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