June 15, (THEWILL) — The Ogun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has unveiled Mrs Kudirat Abiodun Balogun (née Adegunwa) as its Deputy Governorship candidate for the 2027 gubernatorial election.
Mrs Balogun will serve as the running mate to the party’s governorship candidate, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, in the upcoming election.
Her emergence as the nominee followed Governor Dapo Abiodun’s announcement during the APC Stakeholders’ Strategic Meeting held in Abeokuta on Friday that the deputy governorship position had been reserved for Ogun East Senatorial District.
Addressing the meeting, Governor Abiodun revealed that Balogun was selected as the party’s preferred deputy governorship candidate from a pool of qualified aspirants in Ogun East, the senatorial district allotted the position of Deputy Governor.
While pesenting the deputy governorship candidate for endorsement by party leaders, the APC governorship candidate, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, described Balogun as a worthy choice and expressed confidence that she would add value to the APC ticket and contribute significantly to the party’s vision for Ogun State.
Officially announcing the nomination, the Ogun State APC Chairman, Alhaji Yemi Sanusi, said the decision followed extensive consultations in line with the party’s zoning arrangement. He noted that Mrs Balogun’s impressive educational background, extensive corporate experience, and track record in entrepreneurship development made her exceptionally qualified for the position.
Balogun is a distinguished corporate executive, strategic finance leader, and advocate of industrial growth, with more than three decades of professional experience spanning manufacturing, enterprise governance, strategic finance, operational transformation, and business expansion.
She currently serves as Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director, Finance and Information Technology, at Rite Foods Limited, one of Nigeria’s leading indigenous Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) companies. During her tenure, she has played a pivotal role in transforming the company from a relatively modest operation into an enterprise valued at over ₦500 billion, with a strong national presence and expanding manufacturing capacity.
Academically, Mrs Balogun holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from the University of Lagos and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Finance from Bayes Business School, formerly known as Cass Business School, London.
She is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). She has also attended executive leadership programmes at Harvard Business School and The Wharton School, further strengthening her leadership and strategic management credentials.
Beyond her corporate accomplishments, Mrs. Balogun is widely recognised for her passion for economic empowerment, women’s advancement, youth development, and nation-building. She advocates stronger institutions, industrial growth, responsible leadership, and expanded economic opportunities as pathways to sustainable prosperity.
According to party leaders, her leadership philosophy is anchored on integrity, accountability, excellence, service, and long-term impact.
Mrs Balogun’s professional journey reflects a unique blend of technical expertise, executive leadership, strategic thinking, and people-centred impact. Her ability to navigate complex challenges, build sustainable systems, mobilise stakeholders, and drive organisational transformation has earned her widespread respect within Nigeria’s corporate and socio-economic landscape.
She remains committed to deploying her experience, leadership capacity, and institutional knowledge towards advancing sustainable development, economic transformation, industrial growth, and shared prosperity in Ogun State and Nigeria.
