By: Kayode Odunaro
On a Sunday morning I happened on an online story published in the “Daily Dispatch” of September 8, 2024, with the long title of “Ogun 2027: Olamilekan, not the best to put forward as APC governorship candidate”. I had to read the title twice to be sure that one is not mistaken about the mischievousness of such a coinage. Satisfied that the author, one Hakeem Adisa, allegedly writing from Idi-Iroko, in Ipokia Local Government of Ogun State, actually coined such a title, I took time to read through what amount to a misplaced rehash of issues long rendered irrelevant and preposterous and completely out of tune with realities widely acknowledged in Ogun State. I later chanced on the syndication of the same story on other online platforms.
To say the least, the write-up, obviously engineered by some retrogressive interests morbidly afraid of the wild fire popularity of Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, was below par in discussing issues that had since been overtaken by events while turning a blind eye to unprecedented delivery of democracy dividends in a part of Ogun State in compliment to the delivery of the state Governor Prince Dapo Abiodun led All Progressives Congress, APC, administration in Ogun State.
I would not know if Hakeem Adisa is an APC member as I am to dabble into the issue of APC governorship candidate in 2027. But good enough, he is cognizant of the fact that APC is the party to beat in Ogun 2027 and thus his contrived interest in who flies the flag of APC in 2027. The ruling party in Ogun State at the appropriate time will do the needful to present a winning candidate in 2027 and will not be needing the sponsored opinion of one Adisa to point the way to the most popular aspirants. For his information, no aspirant has declared intention to run in Ogun 2027 as governor, including Senator Adeola presently focused on the delivery of effective and unprecedented representation for his constituents in Ogun West Senatorial District. So Adisa, in writing his epistle may just be confirming the speculation among majority of Ogun citizens that the best candidate for APC, indeed the candidate to beat in a general election, is Senator Adeola Yayi. This conclusion is inevitable from his writeup as he refused to mention any aspirant he wrote “have been making behind-the- scene secret consultations, holding nocturnal meetings and strategizing”, except Senator Adeola!
Giving that implicit conclusion of Adisa and his backers, one is just left to correct some of the befuddlement of Adisa on germane issues that he raised in his uncalled-for hasty pontification. The story of how Senator Adeola emerged as Senator representing Ogun West in 2023, including multiple “Pull Him Down” litigations that failed, is in the public domain to the shame of those who prevented his emergence for the same position way back in 2015 is in the public domain. The same goes for his unprecedented back-to- back electoral victories at 6 consecutive times! For such to happen in politics, the politicians must be doing what the people wants in terms of democracy dividends.
And Senator Adeola has not stopped doing that in his present post in Ogun State. In hindsight, not a few across Ogun State will regard all those against the Senator in 2015 and beyond as retrogressive, anti-people individuals with the huge difference the senator has made since returning from Lagos to Ogun State. And those presently sponsoring the likes of Adisa squarely falls within the category of retrogressive persons without the interest of people at heart. Indeed, relevant stakeholders on record, have testified that never have they witnessed the level of impactful development and representation delivered by Senator Adeola in a brief period he is serving in Ogun West and indeed, by extension Ogun State. Surely, it is not necessarily about Adisa alleged “deep pocket” but an incurable desire by the Senator to redress the decades of socio-economic marginalization of the people of Ogun West. During one of the impactful programmes, the Senator has said it loud and clear that he owes no apology to anyone for his desire and will continually do more for a long-suffering people of Ogun West.
As it is, his effective representation in Ogun West with many development initiatives and human impact mega empowerment of thousands of constituents is the talk of the town, not only in Ogun State but even nationwide. Conceivably, many are wondering and believing that if what is going on in Ogun West is replicated across the state, the state will be far better for it in the long run. There is therefore no doubt that such performance by an APC senator may recommend him to fly the flag of the party in 2027 with many verifiable accomplishments to present as “campaign materials” to the good people and electorate of Ogun State. But that is still for the party to decide in the womb of time and no one should jump the gun in that decision that will ultimately be in the hands of the people and Almighty God.
No doubt, as the writer pontificates and assumed that Ogun West should be favoured in 2027, having not had opportunity for such in the past history of the state in spite of numerous failed attempts by those listed by the writer. It is however, not a given that such favour will come “a la carte” on a platter of gold in real politics. The people of the senatorial district have to lobby and fight for it among just and fair-minded Ogun State people drawing on lessons of previous failed attempts and current realities of winnability. In this there must be no sentiment as Adisa is trying to canvass for his preferred aspirants and sponsors.
Going forward, 2027 is still sometimes away, particularly for elected officials like Senator Adeola still fulfilling the mandates bestowed on them by the electorate. At the appropriate time, Senator Adeola will indicate his interest for elected office in 2027 as will many others in his party, APC. It is only then that the leaders of the party in the state like Chief Olusegun Osoba, other former governors and deputy governors, other leaders, all led by Prince Abiodun, the governor, will decide with members of the party the best candidate for Ogun 2027 for the electorate(the people of Ogun State) to make their choice among other parties’ candidates. Any conjecture and contrivances in form of sponsored writeup of meddlesome interlopers like Adisa is jumping the gun and setting an odious agenda targeted at an individual for no just cause.
Chief Kayode Odunaro is the Media Adviser to Senator Adeola CON.
kayodunaro@hotmail.com
