The Oyo State chapter of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, on Monday declared its readiness to wrest power from the ruling party in 2027, as it formally introduced Mogaji Olusegun Agboola to stakeholders as its governorship candidate.
The declaration was made at a stakeholders’ meeting held at the party secretariat, New Bodija, Ibadan, with representatives from all 33 local government areas in attendance.
Speaking at the meeting, SDP State Chairman, Michael Okunlade, said the party had commenced the process of candidate substitution in line with the Electoral Act to meet INEC’s deadline.
“The purpose is to introduce our aspirant, who is intending to contest for governorship to the members of the party, and to the public. And you know by law, we have room for substitutions. And the process we began in earnest. We will be substituting our candidate to meet the deadline,”he said.
Okunlade added that SDP remains the credible alternative that is on ground now and a party known to our grandmothers, mothers, and our fathers across the local governments across the state.
“SDP is set to wrest power from the ruling APC. As you can see, all local government were represented. And very soon, we are going to work, justly, together with all the local government, to ensure that we wrest the power,”_ he declared.
Speaking on his intent to join the guber race , Mogaji Olusegun Agboola described his decision to run as a “divine call” saying the current state of the nation demands fresh ideas and leadership with a sense of social contract.
“ I’m not a politician. I’ve supported politicians, assisted politicians, promoted politicians. But the state we are in the country right now calls for a fresh idea. Calls for fresh look at things, and calls for well intentioned people who believe that they have a social contract,”he said.
“This is the time for us to also give back to the community that raised us, to the people that noticed us and to the people that promoted us and gave us life.” he said
Agboola said his administration, if elected, would focus on “system thinking” rather than “pedestrian thinking” and would prioritize re-engineering the education sector for the age of Artificial Intelligence.
“The children of today have been educated for a future that doesn’t exist. Or rather, a future that is constantly changing and evolving at an alarming speed .So, what kind of jobs should we be training these children for? What kind of education should we be giving them?”_ he asked.
He noted that SDP remains the oldest progressive party in Nigeria and the home of the true progressives, citing its role in June 12 and the fact that both the President and the current Oyo Governor started their political journeys in SDP.
Referencing the recent Osun election, Agboola said: “That’s the kind of thinking we need to start doing. Are we still going to be doing the politics of stomach infrastructure… or we are going to look at politics where people of genuine passion and interest come out to say, Look, I think I can do the job.”
On the party’s readiness for 2027, Agboola cited a recent Court of Appeal judgment in Osun that led to the reprinting of ballot papers as proof of SDP’s legal and organizational strength.
“I’m sure you’re aware of the judgment, the SDP secured in the courts of appeal only a few days ago. That’s how prepared and ready SDP is. SDP is here to stay,”he said.
“From the meeting we just came out of, there are many chairmen and chair ladies and women leaders and youth leaders of various local governments in the state who are ready and willing to do the work required. That’s how ready they are. The team is ready.” He stated
