A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Convener of the Alternative, Otunba Segun Showunmi, has called on Ogun State residents to reject what he describes as “state capture” disguised as political consensus, following the APC’s unanimous endorsement of Senator Solomon Adeola (Yayi) as its governorship candidate for the upcoming election. The decision was made during a strategic caucus meeting held at the APC secretariat in Abeokuta on Monday, where Governor Dapo Abiodun and other party leaders formally adopted Adeola as the consensus candidate. Showunmi, in a statement released on Tuesday titled “From Magbon to Now: We Will Not Be Conquered. Ogun’s Line in the Sand: Resistance to State Capture,” warned that the state’s long-standing tradition of independent thinking is under threat from what he calls a crude tool of political control.
Showunmi acknowledged that consensus is a legitimate internal party mechanism, but emphasized that it loses credibility when it lacks integrity. He argued that without a foundation of ethical conduct and public service, consensus becomes mere imposition. “Yes, a political party has the right to choose its internal mechanisms, even if that means adopting ‘consensus’ as its preferred pathway,” he stated. “But across every serious political system where consensus has credibility, it rests on one indispensable foundation: integrity. Without that, consensus degenerates into imposition.”
He further criticized the current political arrangement, describing it as a humiliation for the electorate. According to Showunmi, those attempting to impose this consensus have no demonstrable record of integrity in private life, public service, or governance. “That is precisely the issue before us,” he said. “Those now attempting to foist this arrangement on Ogun State bring with them no demonstrable record of integrity neither in private conduct, nor in public service, nor in any coherent understanding of the responsibilities of governance.”
Showunmi, known as Odofin Keesi, stressed that this moment represents a defining test for Ogun’s people. He reminded residents of the state’s history of resisting entrenched systems, from the fall of the Oyo Empire to modern democratic struggles. “We cannot, in this generation, especially within the framework of a democracy, accept the status of a conquered people,” he declared. He added that no political convenience, party loyalty, or manufactured inevitability should compel a free people to return to servitude.
The PDP chieftain urged Ogun residents to stand firm against what he sees as an erosion of democratic values. He called for renewed grassroots resistance to ensure that the state’s political future is not dictated by a small group seeking control. As Ogun State prepares for the next election, the debate over legitimacy, integrity, and democratic participation continues to intensify, setting the stage for a crucial political showdown in the months ahead.
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