Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as YAYI, has presented his running mate, Mrs. Kudirat Abiodun Adegunwa-Balogun, to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Abuja, in a move that further signals the All Progressives Congress’ early mobilisation for the 2027 Ogun State governorship election.
The meeting also gave the President an opportunity to receive the Ogun APC ticket and offer counsel ahead of the poll.
The presentation drew some of the party’s most senior figures, including former interim national chairman Chief Bisi Akande, former Ogun State governor Aremo Olusegun Osoba, and incumbent Governor Dapo Abiodun.
Also present were Adeola’s wife, Mrs. Temitope Adeola, and the deputy governorship candidate’s husband, Hon. Abdul Razak Balogun, underscoring the political and symbolic weight the party attached to the introduction.
Adeola used the occasion to frame the ticket as part of a broader continuity project for Ogun, saying the party remained focused on consolidating development in the state.
The visit also reflected the APC’s effort to publicly align its Ogun ticket with the national leadership of the party, with President Tinubu’s endorsement presented as a morale boost for the campaign ahead.
Background
Adeola, a chartered accountant-turned-politician, currently represents Ogun West in the Senate, a position he has held since 2023 after previously serving as senator for Lagos West from 2015 to 2023.
His long legislative career has made him one of the better-known APC figures in the South-West and a prominent contender in Ogun’s evolving post-Abiodun political landscape.
His running mate, Mrs. Adegunwa-Balogun, was earlier announced by the Ogun APC as its deputy governorship candidate after the slot was zoned to Ogun East Senatorial District.
Party officials have described her as a corporate executive and finance professional with more than three decades of experience. She currently serves as Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director, Finance and Information Technology, at Rite Foods Limited, while her profile has been publicly promoted as combining corporate leadership with advocacy around women’s advancement, youth development and economic growth.
The emergence of the ticket comes under the watch of Governor Dapo Abiodun, who has led Ogun State since May 29, 2019, and whose administration has consistently projected infrastructure, investment and economic expansion as central pillars of governance.
By bringing together Adeola’s political reach and Adegunwa-Balogun’s corporate background, the Ogun APC appears to be shaping a ticket it hopes can blend grassroots politics with technocratic appeal ahead of 2027.
Crediblenewsng.com
