Ota, Ogun State — In a fiery gathering on Thursday in Ota, the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Isiaq Salako, didn’t mince words: he called on politicians and stakeholders of Ogun West Senatorial District to stop the internal quarrelling and present a united front — if the region is serious about finally producing the next governor of Ogun State in 2027. He warned that unless unity replaces self-interest, the 50-year governorship jinx for the district will just linger.
The event — a town-hall styled meeting organised by Ogun Visionaries under the theme “Yayi 2027: Making a Case for Ogun State Unity and Prosperity” — was no mere talk-shop. Salako zeroed in on fact: Ogun West has never produced a governor since the state’s creation in 1976. (Guardian) Now the message is blunt: if you want it, you must walk it together.
Salako singled out Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (popularly “Yayi”) — senator for Ogun West and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations — as the figure capable of making it happen, calling him tested, visionary and “the best hope” for the state. He said that whatever merit Adeola has will count for naught if Ogun West remains fragmented.
And here is the kicker: it’s not just rhetoric. He told politicians, local governments, wards and polling units in Ogun West — you are not separate actors. You are part of a movement. “The journey to 2027 begins now,” he stressed. “The foundation of victory is unity. No party, no movement and no vision can thrive in division.”
For context: political watchers have long noted that the race for the 2027 Ogun governorship is already underway — heavyweights, middleweights and sprinters are positioning. (Punch) But underlying all that jockeying is a fault line: zoning. Ogun West has been calling for its turn for decades. (ThisDay)
Former Senator Lekan Mustapha, who was represented at the event by the Registrar of Tai Solarin University of Education, Dapo Oke, did not shy away either. He described Adeola as “a politician with a difference” and added: “Ogun West must speak with one voice to make history in 2027.”
The movement behind this push — Ogun Visionaries, led by former two-term lawmaker Asiwaju Leye Odunjo — says this is just the first of several town-hall gatherings across all three senatorial districts of the state. Odunjo said the aim is clear: size up the challenges, explore opportunities for fast-track development, and critically, screen the aspirants ahead of 2027. He stressed that only those with genuine intentions for the state will earn support.
Key Takeaways from the Meeting
- Ogun West has the argument. For 49 years the zone has been locked out of the governor’s office. The agitation is not only about a person but about political equity. (ThisDay)
- But talent and arguments won’t suffice if the home front is chaotic. Adeola himself admitted that only unity and cohesion will make the district’s 2027 dream real. (Nigerian Tribune)
- The clock is ticking. Although 2027 feels far, political groundwork is in motion. The APC is already grappling with internal moves and counter-moves. (Punch)
In essence, the message from Salako was: you don’t just ask to govern — you earn it. “Victory in 2027 will not come by chance,” he said. “It will come through hard work, coordination, discipline and collective sacrifice.” It was no pep-rally fluff; it was a call to arms.
Will Ogun West follow through? That remains the big question. Because on paper, the zone has everything: credible leadership (Adeola), clear historical narrative (marginalisation) and the appetite for change. But politics is rarely predictable. The same zone once faltered because of its internal divisions. (Tell Magazine)
At this Ota meeting, the tone was different. The emphasis shifted from “when” to “now”. Stakeholders were told: align or fall behind. Critics will watch to see whether this unity talk will convert into a single front, or once again fragment under the weight of ambition and ego.
In the coming months, the question isn’t whether the governorship in Ogun State will have a contest — it always will. The question is: will Ogun West own that contest, or will it allow another zone to claim the prize again?
And if this meeting is to be judged as the opening act, then Ogun West has laid down a marker. The only remaining thing is whether it will walk the talk.