A former chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, High Chief Mustapha Abdulhakeem Owolabi, has defected to the Peoples Democratic Party, citing what he described as the persistent political marginalisation of Egbaland in Ogun State.
Owolabi announced his departure from the APC during the 2026 Egba Agenda Convention held in Abeokuta on Thursday, where he was joined by more than 8,000 supporters drawn from Ogun Central and other parts of the state.
The former House of Assembly aspirant and coordinator of Governor Dapo Abiodun’s 2023 re-election campaign also declared support for the PDP governorship candidate, Oladipupo Adebutu, and his running mate, Lateefat Sowunmi-Kolapo, ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
Addressing delegates and political stakeholders at the convention, Owolabi alleged that Egba people have been politically sidelined for more than seven years and warned against attempts to exclude Egbaland from occupying the state’s top political office for an extended period.
According to him, the convention represented a major milestone in the campaign for political inclusion, fairness and equitable representation for the Egba people.
“Today marks a turning point in our collective struggle to secure a rightful seat at the table whenever the future of Ogun State is being discussed and decided,” he said.
Owolabi maintained that Egbaland, as one of the founding blocs of Ogun State, deserves equal participation in governance and recognition for its contributions to the state’s development.
“The Egba people are not second-class citizens in Ogun State. We are one of the founding pillars of this state and our contributions to its development are boldly written in the pages of history. We deserve fairness, equity and inclusion,” he stated.
He also expressed concern over what he described as the slow pace of development in Abeokuta when compared with other state capitals across Nigeria.
Commending Adebutu’s choice of Sowunmi-Kolapo as his running mate, Owolabi described her as a respected daughter of Egbaland whose nomination reflects a commitment to balanced representation and inclusive governance.
He further disclosed that the PDP had assured the group that the position of Secretary to the State Government would be occupied by an Egba indigene if the party emerges victorious in the 2027 election.
Announcing the endorsement, Owolabi said both the MAO Movement for Change and the Egba Agenda Forum had adopted Adebutu and Sowunmi-Kolapo as their preferred candidates for the governorship race.
Speaking at the event, Adebutu promised to lead a transparent and accountable administration focused on local government autonomy, grassroots development and economic growth.
The PDP governorship hopeful argued that genuine local government autonomy remains essential for bringing governance closer to the people and accelerating development across communities.
He also challenged the APC governorship candidate to a public debate, saying voters deserve the opportunity to hear directly from those seeking public office.
Highlighting his commitment to infrastructure development, particularly in the power sector, Adebutu said he had personally donated transformers to several communities across Ogun State through resources generated from his private businesses.
The PDP candidate further criticised what he described as the celebration of projects relocated from other states to Ogun, insisting that such developments should not be portrayed as exceptional achievements.
Also speaking at the gathering, Iyabo Obasanjo urged Egba people to unite politically and resist what she described as efforts to weaken their influence in Ogun State politics.
She expressed optimism that a PDP-led administration would promote inclusive governance and accelerate development throughout the state.
“Let us stand together and reject disrespect with our votes. Ogun belongs to its people, and this is the time to reject political exclusion and marginalisation,” she said.
