Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly referred to as Yayi, has been declared as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ogun State for the 2027 election.
The announcement was made on Monday by the governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, at the APC Strategic Caucus Meeting held at the party’s secretariat in Iyana Mortuary, Abeokuta.
Abiodun who is the leader of the party in the state, said the decision was taken to present a formidable candidate and break the jinx of Ogun West Senatorial District not producing a governor since the creation of the state.
He explained that the caucus meeting was convened to secure the buy-in of major party stakeholders, disclosing that he had earlier met with other aspirants who agreed to support the party’s choice.
His words: “Today, those I considered as front-runners in Ogun West have given their consent and bought into the idea.
“The reason Ogun West has not been able to produce a governor until now is due to a lack of cooperation. I am proud to say that I have spoken to Hon. Biodun Akinlade, Hon. Gboyega Isiaka, and I can confirm that they are fully on board with having a single Ogun West candidate.
“Nothing will give me more joy than to break the 50-year-old jinx. Nothing will give me more joy than to fulfill the aspirations of my predecessors and ensure that Ogun West produces the next governor of Ogun State.
“On that note, permit me to unveil the person we have decided will be the next flag bearer of our great party in Ogun State—Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola.”
The governor said series of consultations were held with key stakeholders, including a meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to arrive at an acceptable candidate to fly the party’s flag in the 2027 election.
“A lot of discussions have taken place behind the scenes, and these discussions did not just start a month or two ago. I must confess that they began about six months ago.
“The President called Chief Olusegun Osoba, who in turn reached out to me and a few others. He expressed satisfaction with what we are doing and indicated his interest in having a say in who would work with him in Ogun State in the next election,” he said.
Governor Abiodun added that after carefully assessing all aspirants who indicated interest in the governorship race, a candidate was selected based on competence, capacity, and the President’s understanding of each aspirant.
“He asked me which zone I preferred for the next governor to come from, and without hesitation, I said Ogun West. When he asked why, I told him it is the only senatorial district that has not produced a governor in the history of the state.
“I also told him that this position aligns with the aspirations of my predecessors. We may disagree on other issues, but on this, we are in agreement,” he said.
He noted that while all aspirants have their strengths, some possess stronger credentials than others, stressing that a governorship aspirant must also have the financial capacity to run an election rather than depend solely on external support.
He said the party had grown in leaps and bounds in the last seven years, as new members joined, making it the dominant party with little or no opposition.
The governor noted that though every member had the right to aspire, there was the need for the party members to align and streamline their thoughts on the forthcoming elections, cautioning going against the Electoral Act.
In his acceptance speech, Senator Adeola pledged to continue on the path of progress as bequeathed by past leaders, saying the state would experience more development as he was aware of the aspirations of the state’s founding fathers.
He noted the strategic importance of the state in the country, saying that with the support and cooperation of all, he would not let the party and the state down.
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