Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has pledged that his administration will oversee a seamless, peaceful, and rancour-free transition of power in 2027, setting what would be a historic standard in the state’s political history.
The governor made the commitment on Thursday during the Christmas church service at St. James’ Anglican Church in his hometown of Iperu-Remo, Ikenne Local Government Area.
“As we approach 2027, not only shall we finish well and finish strong, by the grace of God, this administration will hand over successfully to a successor. It will be the first peaceful transition in the 50-year history of Ogun State,” Governor Abiodun declared.
He added, “By God’s grace, I will sit down as your governor at my send-forth ceremony and also sit at the swearing-in ceremony of my successor.”
Abiodun expressed confidence that his administration’s record of governance, economic expansion, and development would enable a departure from Ogun’s history of contentious succession politics.
Notably, Ogun State has experienced turbulent political transitions in the past. In 2011, tensions erupted when then-Governor Gbenga Daniel supported Gboyega Isiaka as the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, while former President Olusegun Obasanjo backed former military governor Gen. Adetunji Olurin—both from Ogun West. The split contributed to the victory of Senator Ibikunle Amosun of the Action Congress of Nigeria.
Similarly, ahead of the 2019 elections, outgoing Governor Amosun endorsed Adekunle Akinlade as his preferred successor within the All Progressives Congress. After facing internal opposition, Dapo Abiodun eventually secured the party’s ticket and won the governorship by a margin of about 19,000 votes.
Governor Abiodun assured that the process leading to his handover would be marked by unity rather than hostility, infighting, or tension. He pointed to significant growth in the state’s economy under his leadership, noting that the annual budget had risen from approximately ₦355 billion to over ₦2.7 trillion—a reflection, he said, of expanded economic activity and heightened investor confidence.
The governor’s promise underscores an ambition to redefine political succession in Ogun State, framing a peaceful transfer of power in 2027 as both a legacy milestone and a testament to stable, inclusive governance.