The Ogun State chapter of the Labour Party has formally invited Segun Showunmi, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, to join the party and become its governorship candidate for the 2027 general elections.
Party executives, led by the South West Vice Chairman, Abayomi Arabambi, and the state chairman, Mrs Olubukola Soyoye, made the call during a visit to Showunmi’s private residence in the GRA, Ibara, Abeokuta, the state capital, on Friday.
Arabambi said the invitation was based on Showunmi’s proven commitment to good governance and democratic ideals that promote equity and social welfare.
He criticized the current All Progressives Congress government in Ogun, arguing that it had failed to improve the lives of the people.
He said, “Labour Party members are here at your private residence to ask you to join us and drive our 2027 governorship ambition. We have suffered enough under the leadership of the APC government, and the people of Ogun State must begin to smile.
“We want you to be our governorship candidate in 2027. We can’t continue to be second-class citizens in our own state; we are suffering and smiling.
“With your antecedents, experience and pedigree, we know you have what it takes to offer a refreshing time for the residents of the state. Our roads are bad, schools are in shambles, and urbanisation policies are being pursued with hidden agenda.
“However, with someone like you, the people will be at the centre of programmes and policies. We know you have what it takes to rebuild the state and take it to greater heights, and we sincerely urge you to accept to be our governorship candidate for 2027.”
Responding, Showunmi described the Labour Party as a stable party with ideology comparable to workers’ parties in China and Brazil.
He noted that a party that polled over six million votes in the 2023 general elections, compared to just over eight million by the ruling party, should not be underestimated.
He said, “You have called on me to contest on the platform of the Labour Party in 2027. I don’t even know how to begin to thank you for this great honour. Reflecting on everything I have done in life, I can say I have never received an honour this great.
“By the grace of God Almighty, I will consider your request seriously because I will have to leave where I am, where I have invested many years. I have been with the PDP since 1998. When the time to depart comes, no one should be afraid of leaving their comfort zone. So, I will go and think deeply about your request.
“For the 2027 governorship race in the state, I have looked at everyone in the race and have not found anyone more eminently qualified or better prepared for the job at hand.
“Let us challenge governance and not be afraid of the outcome. Let us elevate the conversation around development to a level where, even if it is not the will of God for us to win, those who eventually win would not have received it on a platter of gold.
“And if it is the will of God, with your support, and I become governor, I guarantee that you will witness an unprecedented level of intentional good governance. I thank you for this honour and will get back to you shortly.
“However, there are people I must consult. The first is President Bola Tinubu, to let him understand that it is time to move on politically. The others are the three immediate past governors of the state. I have supported them when it mattered most. In any case, they would have completed their 24 years in power, and it is time to find new players.”
