Ogun 2027: Sen Adeola’s Popularity Soars

Olanrewaju Fatunmbi

Ogun State is on the list of states where there will be a change of baton in 2027. At the right time, the governorship position will be up for grabs. For now, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and incumbent Governor Dapo Abiodun are taking their time to weigh all possible options before unveiling the agreed succession plan. The people can’t wait to see the face of the candidate who will fly the party’s ticket in the next election – someone with the capacity, requisite knowledge, experience, and shared vision to take the state to the next level, consolidate and sustain the good policies of the Abiodun administration, and maintain the positive trajectory of the state’s economy.
While waiting in genuine anticipation for the future leadership, the Yewa/Awori people in Ogun West, whose turn it is to produce the next governor, have not relented in their strident voice supporting the ambition of Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (aka Yayi) to lead the state. It is worth stating that the overwhelming support given to him is not a blind endorsement. On his personal merit, Adeola has warmed his way into the hearts of the teeming populace, representing his constituents with a blaze of glory. Over the last two years of his ascension. to the Senate, he has built a strong connection with the people at the grassroots. In Nigerian politics, direct connection and visible impact at the local level are crucial for building a formidable political base. Even during his extensive legislative career representing Lagos constituencies, Adeola maintained strong ties to his Ogun State roots.
He has effectively leveraged these elements, leading to his widespread recognition and strong support across Ogun State. He has implemented significant projects that have transformed several rural communities. He has consistently engaged in philanthropic activities, community outreach, and various empowerment programmes within Ogun West and beyond.
These initiatives include scholarships and educational support, skill acquisition programmes for youth and women, provision of essential amenities like boreholes, transformers, and solar lights,
construction and renovation of schools and health centres, direct financial empowerment for market women, artisans, and small business owners, among others.
On this note, a few examples of initiatives and projects he has facilitated in his Ogun West constituents will suffice. Notable among the roads he has facilitated include the Ilara/Ijoun/Oja Odan/Ifonyintedo/Ilashe road project (over 100 km), Ilashe-Okere Township Road, Sabo-Babalawo Road, Idogo-Ipaja Road, and sections of the Abeokuta-Iboro-Ilaro Road. This network of roads has significantly improved connectivity and the economy.
In the education sector, Adeola has made significant impacts, including construction of over 150 new classrooms in primary and secondary schools across multiple locations, renovation of dilapidated school buildings and provision of school furniture and establishment of well-equipped Information, Communication, and Technology (ICT) centres in various schools and community centres to enhance computer literacy and digital skills.
He has also been instrumental in facilitating Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND)-sponsored projects at federal tertiary institutions in Ogun Central, such as Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta (FUNAAB) and Federal College of Education (FCE), Osiele, Abeokuta.
Additionally, Adeola has had to his credit construction of several Primary Health Care Centres in rural areas (e.g., Imeko, Moriwi, Atapele, Ilara) as well as the establishment of two Intensive Care Units (ICUs) at State Hospitals in Ilaro and Ota, significantly upgrading critical care services.
Beyond health, his empowerment initiatives remain unequalled and unparalleled. Reports indicate that over 40,000 constituents have benefited from his skills acquisition, vocational training, and entrepreneurship programmes.
This is in addition to Scholarship Schemes for indigent students, covering over 2,000 beneficiaries in 2024 and 4,000 shortlisted for 2025.
To facilitate rural access to electricity, Adeola has provided over 100 units of 500KVA electric transformers and 5,000 solar street lights to communities for improved electricity access.
His agricultural support programmes include the distribution of tractors, plows, tricycles, water pumping machines, improved varieties of seeds, stems, seedlings, fertilizers, pesticides, and cash grants (e.g., N100,000 to 5,000 farmers).
One unique thing about the nature of these projects is that it addresses immediate, felt needs at the local level. By providing tangible benefits that directly impact daily lives like improved classrooms, access to water, or job training, Senator Adeola has built a strong and loyal base of support from the ground up. Unlike some politicians who become somewhat detached once in office, he has a reputation for being accessible to his constituents. He is known to attend community events, town hall meetings, and local gatherings, making himself available to listen to their needs and aspirations. His consistent presence fosters a sense of personal connection and trust. Little wonder, Yayi resonates everywhere you go. This popular slogan is a direct reflection of his widespread visibility and efforts to connect with people across various communities. It signifies his consistent engagement, not just during election cycles, but year-round. His “Yayi political movement” is not just a top-down structure; it has deep roots at the ward and local government levels. This allows for effective mobilization of supporters, dissemination of information, and feedback collection directly from the grassroots.
In the Nigerian political context, where direct impact, personal connection, and perceived responsiveness to local needs are highly valued by the electorate, a strong grassroots connection is often more critical than national policy debates. Adeola’s consistent focus on these elements has undeniably built him a significant and dedicated following at the grassroots level in Ogun State, especially in Ogun West, dominating the political scene like a Colossus.
Till date, Adeola’s policy of connecting with the grassroots remains one of his potent political strategies, which have largely accounted for his victory in over two decades of his legitimate career. By demographic pattern, significant proportion of Nigerians, especially registered voters lives in rural or semi-urban (grassroots) areas. While not neglecting the urban populace, Adeola focuses more on rural communities, knowing that they are densely populated and are crucial electoral battlegrounds. Some estimates suggest that nearly half of Nigeria’s population lives in rural areas. Whereas urban areas are more diverse and voters more fragmented in their allegiances, rural communities often have more cohesive voting patterns influenced by local leaders, traditional rulers, religious figures, and direct community engagement from politicians. At the grassroots, the impact of direct political engagement, philanthropy, and community projects is often more keenly felt and remembered. Because Adeola has consistent connection with these communities through empowerment programmes, infrastructure development, and personal appearances, he has built deep loyalty. By building and maintaining a strong connection with local communities, understanding their unique needs, and consistently demonstrating engagement with them, identifying with the local people, he has become a household name in Ogun State.
More significantly, Adeola’s high profile legislative career is directly linked to his track record of good representation. His high-profile legislative career is directly linked to his widely perceived strong track record of good representation, especially his consistent leadership in critical committees such as the House Committee on Public Accounts and, more recently, the Senate Committee on Appropriations. These positions have placed him at the heart of national resource allocation and oversight, allowing him to influence where federal projects are sited and how funds are spent. Being the Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, for example, gives him significant leverage in the budgeting process.
Beyond direct projects, his legislative career is marked by the sponsorship of numerous bills and motions. These bills often address issues of direct relevance to governance, fiscal responsibility, education (e.g., bills for upgrading of Ilaro Federal polytechnics to university and community development), demonstrating legislative engagement.
Above all, Adeola’s consistent championing of the need for an Ogun West governor aligns directly with their long-held aspirations. This political alignment is seen as a commitment to their collective good.
Therefore, high profile isn’t just about his visibility in the National Assembly; it’s crucially underpinned by a perception that he uses his legislative position and influence to deliver concrete benefits and address the needs of his constituents, thereby fulfilling the practical expectations of good representation in the nation’s political landscape.

*Fatunmbi wrote from Okeagbede, Imeko-Afon LGA of Ogun state