Ogun 2027: Stop Ancestral Debate, Tell Electorate What You’ll Offer, Oginni Urges Candidates

ABEOKUTA — The National Coordinator of the Coalition of Registered Political Parties in Nigeria, Comrade Oginni Olaposi, has urged political parties and governorship candidates in Ogun State to focus their campaigns on issues that directly affect the welfare and development of the people.

Oginni, who spoke on Monday at a press conference in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, said the electorate were more interested in the plans of the various contestants for education, economic recovery, youth development, electricity and poverty reduction than debates over the ancestral roots and genealogical backgrounds of political candidates.

According to him, candidates seeking the mandate of Ogun residents should explain what they intend to do to improve the lives of the people rather than engage in what he described as unnecessary arguments over where a candidate’s ancestors originated.

“What the Ogun State electorate is asking from the contestants is to tell us what they want to do for our people in terms of education and economic recovery.

“We want to warn them that anybody who continues with this bad trajectory about the ancestral root of anybody is no longer acceptable and condemnable.

“Tell us, convince the electorate what you are ready to offer us in Ogun State. I want to advise the electorate to be vigilant. There is no room for charlatans. Those who are after ancestral root, genealogical and historical nonsense have nothing to offer Ogun State people,” he said.

Oginni urged all governorship candidates to make poverty eradication and the future of young people central to their campaign promises, insisting that the electorate deserved concrete proposals that could address the state’s socio-economic challenges.

“All candidates should tell us how to eradicate poverty and what the secured future for our youths will be,” he said.

He maintained that the place of origin of a candidate should not become the dominant issue in the election, arguing that the electorate should instead assess candidates based on their programmes, capacity and plans for the development of the state.

The political activist also appealed to politicians and their supporters to avoid personal attacks that could heighten tension and undermine the peace of the state ahead of the election.

Oginni further called on all candidates to maintain decorum during the campaign season and adhere to agreed rules of engagement.

He said issues such as improving the standard of living, reducing poverty and ensuring reliable electricity supply should form part of the major issues in the election.

“We are not interested in the ancestral root of any candidate. Where any and candidate comes from is the responsibility of his or her community. We want an issue-based campaign.

“Our position is to make sure that Ogun State is peaceful. We don’t want anybody to overheat the polity by personal attacks that may lead to violence.

“Let Ogun State people decide who they want to vote for, not creating unnecessary apprehension.

“All candidates should maintain decorum. There must be rules of engagement for campaigning. What Ogun State electorate are expecting is how to better their lives, how to make electricity uninterrupted in Ogun State. Those are the indices that should concern us, not where someone comes from,” he added.

On the credibility of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Oginni commended the electoral body for its conduct of the recent Osun State election, describing the exercise as evidence that the commission could conduct credible elections.

“Let me commend INEC for conducting a free and fair election in Osun. The Osun election is a testament that INEC has credibility and there will be no rigging,” he said.
He urged voters and political actors to conduct themselves peacefully during the electoral process, adding that developments in election monitoring, including the widespread use of social media, had made electoral manipulation more difficult.

According to him, INEC’s role is primarily to supervise the electoral process, while the responsibility for ensuring a peaceful election also rests on political parties, candidates and voters.

He therefore urged Ogun residents to reject inflammatory rhetoric and allow the 2027 election to be determined by the choice of the electorate based on the issues and programmes presented by the candidates.