Former All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant in Ogun State, Abayomi Samako Hunye, has dismissed reports that he has withdrawn from the 2027 governorship race, insisting that he remains in the contest.
Hunye, who hails from Ogun West Senatorial District, made the clarification on Saturday at a press conference in Abeokuta attended by hundreds of party supporters.
At the event, the former Managing Director of the Ogun State Waste Management Authority (OGWAMA) also unveiled Otunba Abayomi Odunowo as his running mate for the 2027 election.
Hunye had obtained the APC governorship nomination form despite the party’s consensus arrangement in favour of Senator Solomon Adeola, popularly known as Yayi.
The APC leadership in Ogun, including Governor Dapo Abiodun, had on April 13 adopted Adeola as the party’s consensus candidate during a strategic caucus meeting in Abeokuta. Hunye was, however, absent from the meeting.
At the party’s governorship primary held in May, Adeola was declared the winner after reportedly securing 304,055 votes out of 305,287 accredited voters, while Hunye was recorded as having no votes.
Hunye subsequently approached the court, challenging the outcome of the primary over alleged irregularities and the disenfranchisement of his supporters.
Speaking on Saturday, Hunye rejected claims that the dispute had been resolved or that he had agreed to step aside.
“They said they have made some appeals to me and I have stepped down. Some said it has been settled. I want to tell everybody in Ogun that that’s a big lie. I am still in the race. We are in court,” he said.
Hunye said he decided to publicly reaffirm his candidacy after considering provisions of the amended Electoral Act, which, according to him, require candidates challenging an electoral process in court to participate in subsequent stages of the process.
He explained that the next phase of the electoral process would include campaigning, adding that he did not want his opponents to use his absence from campaign activities against him in court.
The APC chieftain also said his decision to select a running mate was aimed at preventing another deputy governorship candidate from being imposed on him.
According to him, the party had already selected candidates for the State House of Assembly and a deputy governorship candidate, making it necessary for him to formally announce his own running mate.
Hunye expressed confidence in the judiciary and the support of Ogun residents, insisting that the governorship ticket should go to Ogun West.
He said he would have supported Adeola if the governorship slot had been zoned to Ogun East, stressing that his position was based on the belief that it was the turn of Yewa/Ogun West to produce the next governor.
He subsequently announced Otunba Abayomi Odunowo as his deputy governorship candidate.
Hunye also accused unnamed individuals of attempting to force him out of the race but maintained that he would continue to pursue his case and campaign for the support of the people of Ogun State.
