ADC Ogun Gov Candidate, Biodun Collins Ogundipe

Biodun Ogundipe has said there is no controversy surrounding his ambition to become the next governor of Ogun State, adding that he remains the 2027 African Democratic Congress governorship candidate for the state, recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission and backed by the leadership of the opposition party.

Ogundipe also said he decided to throw his hat into the political ring to provide practical solutions to issues of bad governance, insecurity and underdevelopment, among other challenges confronting residents of the state.

A tech expert in Artificial Intelligence, the ADC governorship candidate said he would deploy technology to tackle all forms of criminality across the state and ensure that residents sleep with both eyes closed while businesses continue to thrive.

Ogundipe disclosed this on Monday during an engagement with journalists in the state.

Clearing the air over the controversy surrounding the party’s governorship candidate, the tech expert said there was no parallel governorship primary and that he emerged as the winner of the party’s governorship ticket after allegedly defeating Jimi Lawal and Marie Odusina. He said any other narrative was mere propaganda and a distraction.

He explained that, “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 Sersvice 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, BCO, as he is popularly called, 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 by and watch when he knew he had what it takes to address the pains of the people and leverage the abundant potential of the state to liberate residents from poverty.

The ADC candidate disclosed that his administration would be guided by what he described as the “Ogun One Economic Blueprint,” a development plan prepared over the last 19 months.

He said the blueprint was based on research and would provide tailored economic strategies for different parts of 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 a comprehensive economic strategy that creates jobs and improves the lives of the people,” Ogundipe said.

He faulted what he described as the misplaced priorities of successive governments, arguing that governance should first address the immediate 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 aspirant identified security as the first priority of his administration, promising to deploy technology-driven intelligence systems to tackle 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 said his experience working on intelligence solutions for multinational organisations had equipped him with the expertise needed to improve security across 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.

The ADC candidate also expressed confidence in his party’s chances in the 2027 governorship election, saying his campaign would rely on technology to safeguard 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.