By Bola Olajuwon
“Great spirits have always encountered opposition from mediocre minds. The mediocre mind is incapable of understanding the man who refuses to bow blindly to conventional prejudices and chooses instead to express his opinions courageously and honestly,” says Albert Einstein.
The above is why I am not surprised about the laughable claims from the opposition parties attacking the political brand of Senator representing Ogun West and the Ogun All Progressives Congress (APC) Candidate, Solomon Adeola Yayi.
The people of Ogun West Senatorial District, which is one of the three senatorial districts in Ogun State, are expecting more comedies being displayed as the 2027 elections get nearer.
Ogun West is predominantly inhabited by the Yewa and Awori people, who are part of the larger Yoruba ethnic group. The district comprises five local government areas, including Yewa South, Yewa North, Imeko Afon and Ipokia.
Ogun State is divided into three senatorial districts: Ogun East, Ogun Central and Ogun West. Each district is composed of several Local Government Areas (LGAs). The 2006 census figures show Ogun State with a population of 3,751,140. While the 2006 census data provides a benchmark, it’s important to note that these figures are likely outdated due to subsequent population growth and migration patterns. But, the state has an estimated population of more than 6.4 million people with Ogun West having a large percentage.
However, despite Ogun West having the highest number of Nigerian border areas with the Republic of Benin and drawing more funds into the Federal Government’s coffers, it is the least developed district among the three senatorial districts in the state since the nation’s independence.
Politicians from the district have been sidelined by the power-that-be despite their contributions to Nigeria’s independence, national and state politics.
The people of Ogun West have been pushing for an indigene to become governor of Ogun State for 50 years since the state was created in February 1976. But throughout the state’s 50-year history, Ogun West has never produced an elected governor while power has rotated exclusively between Ogun Central and Ogun East.
Ahead of the upcoming 2027 gubernatorial election, political stakeholders and groups from the district—including supporters of Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (Yayi)—are campaigning heavily to finally break this five-decade exclusion.
With 2027 elections around the corner, a liberator is here for Ogun West people and no amount of divide and rule and sponsorship by agents of divisions will assail the determination of the people to match on a common ground during the election come 2027.
Senator Adeola has a long legislative career spanning over two decades in Nigerian politics through which he has developed his political brand. He represented Ikeja/Alimosho area as a lawmaker in the Lagos State House of Assembly (2003–2011) and the Alimosho Federal Constituency at the National Assembly (2011–2015); served two terms representing the largest senatorial district in Nigeria by population, Lagos West Senatorial District (2015–2023).
He was then voted into Senate to represent Ogun West (2023–Present) after shifting his political base to Ogun State. He currently chairs the Senate Committee on Appropriations.
Adeola was unveiled as the consensus candidate to succeed Governor Dapo Abiodun after being picked as APC Governorship Candidate for Ogun State for 2027 election.
He was picked following his major legislative and constituency achievements. Adeola facilitated major road reconstructions, including the over-100-kilometre Ilara/Ijoun/Oja Odan/Ifonyintedo/Ilashe road, as well as local township roads like Ilogbo, Maltina, and High Court roads.
The outlook of the Ogun West Senatorial District is also changing in the last three years and it is experiencing significant development, particularly in infrastructure and economic empowerment, driven by Senator Yayi’s initiatives. These include road construction, improved security, agricultural support, and empowerment programmes for the youth and women
He also facilitated the construction and furnishing of 156 classrooms, 2-storey educational complexes (such as Mayigi Community High School in Ilashe and Sango High School blocks), multiple school ICT centres and built palaces for monarchs.
The candidate has built primary health care centres in communities like Itele and Iyesi, and established Intensive Care Units (ICUs) at state hospitals to handle critical health cases; donated over 100 units of 500KVA electric transformers and thousands of solar-powered streetlights to boost rural and urban electrification across Ogun State.
The governorship candidate has executed mega empowerment programmes providing trade equipment, financial grants and life-changing academic scholarships to over 10,000–12,000 constituents and students.
He also built ultramodern town halls, mini-stadiums (such as the Ilaro mini-stadium) and upgraded markets to boost local commerce.
The outlook of the Ogun West Senatorial District is also changing in the last three years and it is experiencing significant development, particularly in infrastructure and economic empowerment, driven by Senator Yayi’s initiatives. These include road construction, improved security, agricultural support, and empowerment programmes for the youth and women.
Senator Adeola has spearheaded the construction of many roads like the Oju-Iroko Road in Idi-Iroko, the Agosasa Road in Ipokia Local Government, and roads in Yewa South and North, improving connectivity and access to markets.
His Light Up Ogun West initiative is aimed at improving electricity access and enhances economic and social activities across the senatorial district. Efforts are underway to renovate roads and other infrastructure in border areas.
His infrastructure projects are creating jobs during and after construction, stimulating local economies. Farmers are receiving resources and training to boost agricultural productivity and access to markets.
Youth and women empowerment programmes are in place to empower youth and women economically. Initiatives have been implemented to enhance security in Ogun West communities. Interventions in education and healthcare are strengthening social services in the region.
These developments, which are also extended to other districts in the state, are part of Yayi’s broader vision to build a more connected, prosperous, and thriving Ogun State. Senator Adeola’s approach emphasises practical and impactful governance, focusing on delivering tangible results to his constituents.
It will be recalled that owing to the senator’s laudable achievements, it was not surprising that prominent bipartisan political groups, the Ogun West for Governor Political Action Group (OW-GPAG) and Ogun West Professionals for Yayi, among other heavyweights in Ogun State APC, passionately appealed to Senator Adeola to heed the growing calls from constituents and contest the 2027 Ogun State governorship election.
Before the aspirants threw their hats into the ring for the Ogun State Governorship Primary Election, several aspirants and opponents either stepped down, suspended their campaigns, or withdrew lawsuits to support or make way for Senator Yayi, who emerged as the All Progressives Congress (APC) consensus candidate.
They include former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Tunde Lemo, who withdrew his governorship ambition and declared support for Adeola, citing party unity and strategic alignment.
Iyabo Obasanjo, the former senator and daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, also suspended her gubernatorial aspiration following Adeola’s emergence as the APC consensus candidate.
Akinbola Hammed Rotham, the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) governorship candidate, withdrew a Federal High Court suit (Suit No. FHC/AB/CS/135/2026) challenging Adeola’s indigeneship, stating his decision was made to prioritise the Ogun West agenda. Also multiple other litigants and opposition figures—including plaintiffs from the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Because Of Our Tomorrow (BOOT) party, Labour Party (LP), Young Progressive Party (YPP), and African Democratic Party (ADP)—voluntarily discontinued four separate pre-election lawsuits challenging Adeola’s candidacy.
It is also a welcome development that the House of Representatives member, representing Yewa North/Imeko-Afon federal constituency, Gboyega Nasir Isiaka (GNI), is fully with Yayi.
Critics and political opponents have challenged his claims to Ogun State indigeneship, pointing to his long-standing political and legislative career in Lagos State, lawsuits filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja (such as FHC/ABJ/CS/984/2026) and Abeokuta have questioned his past declarations and statutory documents submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), though some opposing candidates (such as the Ogun NNPP candidate) have since withdrawn their specific lawsuits.
Former Ogun APC governorship aspirant, Abayomi Hunye, filed a suit seeking a judicial review of Adeola’s previous INEC forms and state-of-origin entries.
On September 30, 2026, Ogun politician Adekunle Shomorin petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate a batch of 119 campaign vehicles (including buses and ambulances) publicly acknowledged by Adeola on September 28, 2026.
However, it is no longer debatable that Yayi hails from Ishaga in Yewa South Local Government Area, Ogun West, Ogun State and not the Ekiti State that the spin doctors want to make Nigerians believe.
However, all these allegations by supporters of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the state, Oladipupo Adebutu, will not stop the APC governorship candidate from occupying Ogun State Governor’s Office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, in 2027.
. Olajuwon, a journalist, writes from Ijofin, Ipokia Local Government Area, Ogun State.
