Ogundipe talks about his plans for Ogun ADC governorship ticket

Biodun Ogundipe has said there is no issue around his bid to be the next governor of Ogun State. He added that he is still the 2027 African Democratic Congress governorship candidate for the state. The Independent National Electoral Commission and the party's leadership back him.

Ogundipe also mentioned that he entered politics to offer real solutions to problems like bad governance, insecurity, and underdevelopment in Ogun State. He aims to address these challenges facing the people.

A tech expert in Artificial Intelligence, Ogundipe said he would use technology to fight crime in the state. He wants to ensure that residents can sleep well and that businesses can grow without fear.

Ogundipe shared this information on Monday while speaking to journalists in the state.

He cleared up the confusion about the party’s governorship candidate. He stated there was no other primary election and that he won the governorship ticket after defeating Jimi Lawal and Marie Odusina. He described any other story as mere propaganda and a distraction.

Ogundipe explained, “I contested the primary alongside the other aspirants. Votes from the 18 local government areas were counted in the presence of our agents. At the end of the exercise, there were disputes over the results from two local governments.

“Both parties agreed that the remaining 18 local governments had been concluded, while the two disputed areas would require a rerun. The Department of State Service was present throughout the process, and many journalists witnessed the proceedings. Because the disputed results could not be announced immediately, we all agreed to conduct a rerun in those two local governments.

“If someone participates in an election and loses but later declares himself the winner simply because the outcome did not favour him, that cannot stand.

“The national leadership of the ADC has officially submitted my name to INEC. If anyone has a grievance, the party has advised him to pursue the appropriate internal appeal process or seek legal redress through the courts, which he has indicated he intends to do.

“As far as the national leadership of the party is concerned, including our National Chairman, Senator David Mark, and the National Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola, I remain the duly recognised ADC governorship candidate for Ogun State, and my name has been submitted to INEC.”

Speaking on why he joined politics, Ogundipe, often called BCO, said, “What drives me is the pain of seeing people live below acceptable standards. It hurts to see children out of school, graduates without jobs, artisans without opportunities, and parents struggling after investing everything to educate their children.”

He added that he could no longer sit back and watch when he knew he could help ease the people's suffering and tap into the state's potential to lift them from poverty.

Ogundipe revealed that his government would follow what he calls the “Ogun One Economic Blueprint.” This plan has been developed over the last 19 months and aims to provide tailored economic strategies for different areas in the state.

“We have spent 19 months working on this blueprint. Every local government has its own economic potential. The development strategy for Ipokia cannot be the same as that of Sagamu.

“Governance cannot continue to be about random projects. Every project must fit into an economic strategy that creates jobs and improves the lives of the people,” Ogundipe said.

He criticized the misplaced priorities of past governments, saying that governance should first meet the basic needs of ordinary citizens.

“There should be no reason why pensioners should wait years before receiving their gratuities or why contributory pensions should not be remitted,” Ogundipe said.

The candidate identified security as the top priority of his government. He promised to use technology-driven intelligence systems to combat crime.

“If there is one thing I will focus on immediately, it is security. Within 12 months, Ogun State can become significantly safer.

“My experience is in intelligence and artificial intelligence. Modern security is no longer about buying more armoured vehicles. It is about intelligence gathering, predictive analysis, and technology,” he said.

Ogundipe noted that his work on intelligence solutions for multinational companies has given him the skills needed to boost security in the state.

“I have developed technology-driven intelligence solutions and worked with international security agencies. The technology already exists to detect criminal activities before they happen.

“If state policing becomes operational and governors are given the necessary authority, I will deploy modern intelligence systems that will significantly improve security across Ogun State,” he added.

Ogundipe also expressed confidence in his party’s chances in the 2027 governorship election. He said his campaign would use technology to protect votes.

“I know the challenges that come with elections, but I can assure the people that every lawful vote cast for the ADC will be protected. We are deploying technology-driven approaches to monitor the election process. Nobody will steal our votes,” Ogundipe declared.