By Segun Olatunji
As the political turf in Ogun State becomes more active and the plots for the 2027 gubernatorial election begin to take shape, one name that resonates across the length and breadth of the Gateway State with an unprecedented level of enthusiasm and anticipation is that of Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known and fondly called “Senator Yayi” by his numerous supporters and admirers.
Senator Adeola Yayi, who currently represents Ogun West Senatorial District in the National Assembly, has within a record short time transformed from a distinguished legislator into a grassroots movement, earning the reputation and sobriquet “Mr Projects,” a man destined to lead Ogun State into a new era of prosperity, development and equity in 2027.
His track record of quality and results-bearing representation speaks volumes. His scorecard is open for all to see, through the myriad of constituency and empowerment projects he has facilitated and delivered since his election in the 2023 general elections as the Senator for Ogun West Senatorial District.
No wonder, President Bola Tinubu and other powers-that-be in the ruling All Progressives Congress recently anointed none other than Senator Adeola Yayi as the consensus governorship candidate of the APC in Ogun State in the 2027 general elections. Tinubu and other party stakeholders from Lagos, Ogun and Oyo, including former governor Olusegun Osoba, who met at the President’s Ikoyi home during the last Eid-el-Fitr celebrations to take critical decisions ahead of next year’s general elections, were said to have favoured the ranking lawmaker as the next occupant of the Oke Mosan, Abeokuta Governor’s Office.
It’s an incontrovertible fact that Senator Adeola Yayi’s meteoric rise today on the Ogun State and national political turfs is built on a foundation of tangible service rather than empty promises. The refrain now being echoed by his numerous supporters and constituents is “Yayi everywhere you go,” testifying to his massive infrastructural developments, ranging from the construction of schools and modern markets to the rehabilitation of critical roads in his district and even beyond.
The over two decades of legislative experience of this chartered accountant spanning service in the Lagos State House of Assembly, subsequently the House of Representatives, and the Senate have masterfully prepared him for the art of governance and fiscal prudence required to occupy the number one political office in a state like Ogun.
Practically and pragmatically, Senator Adeola Yayi’s “FECSTEP” agenda (Functional-Office, Engagements, Cooperation, Scholarship, Targeted-Bills, Empowerment and Projects Facilitation) has brought Federal presence closer to the grassroots in his Ogun West immediate constituency in particular and the entire Ogun State in general, setting a new benchmark for legislative representation in the entire Gateway State.
The ranking Senator’s foray into the Ogun political turf has given a strong filip to the long-standing agitation of the people of Ogun West for an end to the
historical political imbalance that has bedevilled the state since its creation over 50 years ago. Yayi’s decision to throw his hat into the ring has crystalised the struggle of the people of Ogun West Senatorial District to realise the Yewa Agenda in the 2027 governorship election in the state.
The decades-old quest of the people of Ogun West Senatorial District for a “Yewa governor” has been a long-standing aspiration to address a historical power-sharing imbalance where Ogun West has, for decades, unsuccessfully struggled to produce a governor for the entire state. Since his election into the Senate in 2023 to represent the area, Senator Adeola, a bonafide Yewa indigene, has emerged the focal point of this Ogun West’s agitation, surprisingly blending the required political clout with grassroots acceptability across all the three senatorial districts in the state.
Senator Adeola Yayi’s uncanny political ability and dexterity to bridge the gap between regional aspirations and statewide unity has also earned him another sobriquet, “The Connector,” making him a formidable contender for the foremost political office in the state who can win the trust of voters across the entire state. His arrival at public events across the state lights up the atmosphere and ups the tempo, affirming his statewide political appeal, popularity and acceptance. The razzmatazz his presence creates everywhere he goes across the state usually adds a lot of excitement to public occasions.
Of course, for many Ogun State indigenes across the three senatorial districts, Yayi has become the “Real Deal” for 2027, particularly by dint of his impressive impact through his numerous life-changing projects at the grassroots. His empowerment programmes alone have benefited over 50,000 constituents, including artisans, farmers, market women and youths, providing them with skills, tools and cash take-off grants to start businesses to enable them to become economically independent.
From his former Lagos West Senatorial District to his current Ogun West Senatorial District, Senator Adeola Yayi has constructed roads, built schools, ICT centres, modern libraries, health centres, modern markets etc.
To tackle the perennial problem of poor electricity in his constituency, Senator Yayi has so far provided no fewer than 100 electricity transformers, solar-powered lights and streetlights for several communities. He has also facilitated the construction of town halls for many communities, all with the ultimate objective of galvanising rural development.
In education, he has also provided scholarships and bursaries to thousands of students from his constituency, a gesture he has also extended to students in the other two zones – Ogun East and Ogun Central Senatorial Districts. In the area of job creation and employment, Yayi has also transformed the lives of many hitherto jobless graduates and youths, with many of them already absorbed into the Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
Lest one forgets, Yayi’s capacity and experience as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations are enough practical proofs of his expertise in managing financial resources and attracting development.
Senator Adeola Yayi’s vision for a greater Ogun is real and not in doubt. He’s one politician who doesn’t just promise, but delivers promptly. Political watchers, analysts and his numerous supporters believe he will practically replicate his successful projects scattered all over his Ogun West homestead on a statewide scale with the ultimate objective of fostering industrialisation and economic growth throughout Ogun State.
Despite his high rating amongst the people and the electorate in Ogun State, Senator Yayi has always exhibited that “Omoluabi” ethos of pursuing peace with everyone, including his political opponents. The intense political pressure notwithstanding, Yayi has consistently appealed to his supporters to eschew attacks on other aspirants, and rather focus on his campaign’s message of unity and progress.
There’s no doubt that the 2027 governorship race in Ogun State is shaping up to be a defining moment for the people of the Gateway State. They’re therefore seeking as their next leader a man who combines experience, capacity, and a genuine heart for the masses. But only one man fits the bill; Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola Yayi is no doubt that man. Today, the ranking lawmaker stands out as the most prepared candidate for the governorship of the state in 2027. With his proven track record and growing support, he is undeniably the man destined to take Ogun State to the Promised Land come 2027 and beyond.
Yayi ni jooooooooor, Yayi ni jare!
. Olatunji, a Journalist, Political/ Crisis Communication Strategist, writes from Ilaro, Ogun State
