With the various political parties done with the nomination of their governorship candidates in next year’s election, their attention has now turned to those that may be considered as running mates to the flag bearers.
Only in a few instances have deputy governorship candidates been so far named, and one of such is Mrs Damilola Sonayon-James who was recently named by the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the running mate to Dr.Obafemi Hamzat in Lagos State.
Sources in the parties said picking running mates is a delicate assignment which must seek to balance gender,ethnic,cultural and religious differences of the people, reports The Nation.
“It is imperative for us to find a way of compensating or accommodating the interest of the different blocs that lost in the governorship primaries,” one party source told The Nation.
The source cited the case of Sonayon-James whose political base –Badagry – had alleged marginalisation over the years.
It was gathered that a similar consideration played a dominant role in APC’s decision to zero in on Ijebu area of Ogun State for the deputy governorship candidate.
Mrs. Kudirat Abiodun Adegunwa-Balogun from Ososa has been penciled down for the position and may be unveiled soon.
Her nomination was the highlight of a meeting of APC Ogun State stakeholders held in Abeokuta on Friday. She is expected to be unveiled soon.
An APC chieftain described Adegunwa – Balogun as a strategic blend of competence, integrity, experience, and economic intelligence required to consolidate Ogun State’s development aspirations in the coming years.
She is the daughter of renowned Nigerian businessman, philanthropist, and industrialist, Sulaiman Adebola Adegunwa, OFR, former Chairman of Sterling Bank Plc and founder of Ess-Ay Holdings Limited, the parent company of Rite Foods Limited.
Governor Dapo Abiodun came short of confirming her choice at the end of the meeting.
He said: “We recognise the need to commence political activities in earnest, and only one key position remains to be filled—the office of the Deputy Governor. We therefore consulted widely with party leaders and agreed that the position should go to Ogun East.
“Since I have emerged as the senatorial candidate for Ogun East and I am from Remoland, it was decided that the Ijebu people should produce the deputy governor.
“We have also substantially agreed on the area within Ijebuland from which the candidate should emerge, and that is the Ijebu-Ode Federal Constituency. That was one of the major reasons for today’s meeting.”
The governor also said that his state would deliver 95 per cent of its votes to President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general elections.
He said the reforms introduced by President Tinubu have helped to reposition the nation’s economy and lay a solid foundation for sustainable growth and development.
He also commended members of the APC in Ogun State for conducting peaceful and crisis-free primary elections, saying the state had distinguished itself from others through the orderly and transparent process.
The Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) governorship candidate in the state, Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu, is said to be considering a female Muslim from Ogun Central as his running mate.
Sources close to Adebutu and PDP said the running mate would be unveiled shortly.
APC, ADC, PDP weigh options in Kaduna
The dominant parties in the state-APC,African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the PDP -are yet to officially name their deputy governorship candidates.
Consultations on the issue are said to be intensifying across the state, particularly in Southern Kaduna, which observers believe should retain the deputy governorship position after the tenure of Dr. Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe.
For the ruling APC, one of the names generating considerable interest is that of the Chairman of the Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service (KADIRS), Comrade Jerry Adams. The former labour leader has built a reputation as one of the key technocrats in the Uba Sani administration and is widely credited with helping to strengthen the state’s internally generated revenue profile. His supporters argue that his administrative experience, grassroots connections and acceptability across Southern Kaduna make him a strong contender for the position.
Beyond Jerry Adams, other political actors from Southern Kaduna are believed to be lobbying for consideration, aware that the deputy governorship slot remains one of the most strategic offices in the state’s power-sharing arrangement.
However, Adams appears to enjoy growing support among sections of the APC who view him as a bridge-builder capable of complementing Governor Uba Sani’s governance style while helping to consolidate the party’s support base ahead of what is expected to be a competitive election.
Within the ADC, political observers expect governorship candidate Isa Ashiru to also look towards Southern Kaduna for a running mate capable of broadening the party’s appeal. Having previously contested under the PDP before moving to the ADC, Ashiru faces the challenge of uniting different political tendencies within his new platform while attracting undecided voters.
His eventual deputy is therefore likely to be someone with substantial grassroots influence, political experience and the capacity to strengthen the ADC’s foothold in areas where the party seeks to challenge the APC’s dominance.
The PDP faces a similar calculation. Governorship candidate Shehu Usman Bawa will need a running mate capable of revitalising the party’s fortunes after years of internal challenges and electoral setbacks.
Political analysts believe the PDP may equally favour a respected Southern Kaduna figure with strong community networks and cross-party appeal. Such a choice could help the party rebuild confidence among its traditional supporters while presenting a more competitive ticket against both the APC and ADC.
Kwara
Officials of APC in the state said they are awaiting the ratification of its flag bearer Alhaji Yakubu Danladi Salihu by the national leadership of the party before taking the next step of getting the deputy governorship candidate.
Since Salihu is from Kwara North, sources said Kwara Central should have the deputy governorship slot.
Hon Zakari Mohammed, governorship candidate of the ADC, Abdulmumin Yinka Ajia of the NDC,and Engr Suleiman Bolakale Kawu of the PDP are yet to name their running mates.
Intense horse trading in Oyo
The race for the deputy governorship ticket across the major parties in the state has moved from quiet negotiations to clear, tactical alignments.
Party officials said key actors and influencers are working on specific configurations to balance zonal influence and secure maximum voter turnout ahead in the election.
The APC which has produced Senator Sharafadeen Alli from Ibadan as its candidate is looking in the direction of the strategic Oke-Ogun axis for its DG candidate
There are speculations that Soji Adedeji—the younger brother of the Executive Chairman of the Nigerian Revenue Service (NRS), Zacch Adedeji—may get the nod for the position as the party intends to capture the critical agrarian voting bloc while maintaining Senator Alli’s formidable stronghold in Ibadan.
The Allied Peoples Movement (APM),the new platform of Governor Seyi Makinde and his supporters including his preferred successor Abimbola Adekanmbi, has moved from a wildcard contender to the party to beat. The ticket is already taking a distinct, formidable shape designed to lock down key voting blocs across the state’s geopolitical zones.
Like the APC,APM picked its governorship candidate from Ibadan and is positioning a former Chairman of Saki West Local Government, Muftau Open-Salawu, as running mate. Saki is also part of Oke Ogun.
Adekanmi and Open-salawu have been seen moving together around political circles since the party’s recent primary.
Running mate race shifts focus to Delta North
There is nothing to suggest ,for now, that Governor Sheriff Oborevwori will drop his deputy Monday Onyeme ahead of the election.Onyeme is from Delta North.
The other parties, including the PDP, ADC and NDC, are also likely to pick their DG candidates from that senatorial district.
Although Delta Central has considerable voting strength, Anioma politicians continue to feature prominently in calculations surrounding the formation of governorship tickets due to the strategic importance of Delta North.
Chief Great Ovedje Ogboru, the ADC governorship candidate, has also not announced a running mate.
However, political observers believe that, given his Delta Central origin and the state’s tradition of balancing tickets along ethnic and senatorial lines, he may consider choosing a deputy from Delta North or Delta South to broaden the party’s appeal.
Among the names being mentioned in political circles is Dr. Emmanuel Unuafe, an Anioma politician and Ogboru’s former rival in the ADC governorship primary.
Analysts argue that such a choice could strengthen the party’s foothold in Delta North and foster internal cohesion. Nevertheless, the eventual emergence of deputy governorship candidates across the major parties will depend on ongoing consultations and political negotiations ahead of the 2027 elections.
Benue
NDC, ADC in the state are yet to unveil their deputies.
Governor Hyacinth Alia is sticking with Bar. Sam Ode as his running mate on the platform of the APC while PDP’s Mike Aondoakaa has named Oyije Ogbenjuwa as his own running mate.
Ogbenjuwa,38, is a businessman and hails from Adoka, Otukpo Local Government area.
Labour Party’s Dr. Matthias Byuan has Hon. Juliana Obetta,a former Chairperson of the Okpokwu Local Government Council as his running mate while the Social Democratic Party picked Dr. Margaret Ogah as running mate to Professor Sebastine Hon (SAN).
