Kayode Odunaro, Media Adviser and Chief of Staff to the All Progressives Congress (APC) 2027 Ogun State governorship candidate, Senator Solomon Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, has outlined his principal’s development priorities, saying his ambition is anchored on justice, equitable development and greater political representation for Ogun West.
Odunaro stated this on Monday while appearing on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, Ogun State, where he discussed the political situation in the state and Adeola’s ambition ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
He said the longstanding absence of an Ogun West governor had become a significant factor in shaping Adeola’s aspiration to lead the state.
According to him, the senator’s ambition was not merely about occupying the governor’s office but about addressing what he described as an imbalance in political representation.
“One of the major highlights of his agenda is to say, look, we don’t want injustice in the future. His ambition is running on the platform of justice for all Ogun people, particularly the people of Ogun West,” Odunaro said.
Yayi’s Legislative Experience
Odunaro also highlighted Adeola’s experience in the National Assembly, arguing that his years as a legislator had exposed him to the development challenges confronting communities across Ogun State.
He noted that legislators had responsibilities beyond lawmaking, particularly in attracting projects, empowerment initiatives and other interventions to their constituencies.
“They also have a role to play in the distribution and attraction of projects, of empowerment to their people,” he said.
According to Odunaro, Adeola’s legislative record provided an indication of what he could potentially achieve on a larger scale if elected governor.
“If you watch what Solomon Adeola (Yayi) has done in the last three and a half years in Ogun West, not only Ogun West, you can see what he has done. If you become a governor, you can do much more,” he said.
Infrastructure and Development
Speaking on infrastructure, Odunaro said Adeola had supported road construction and other development interventions across Ogun West.
He argued that such projects demonstrated the senator’s efforts to respond to longstanding infrastructure deficits and other needs within the communities he represents.
He added that the equitable distribution of government projects would remain important to communities that had experienced infrastructure challenges over the years.
Revenue Generation and Public Finance
Odunaro also described Adeola as having significant experience in public finance, citing his involvement in committees dealing with finance and appropriation at the National Assembly.
He said the experience had given the senator an understanding of revenue generation, budgeting and public expenditure.
“This man knows everything about public finance. So when he comes to Ogun, Ogun needs to get involved,” he said.
He maintained that Ogun State needed to strengthen its internally generated revenue while ensuring that available resources were deployed effectively to improve the lives of residents.
Yayi’s Proposed Focus as Governor
On what Adeola would prioritise if elected governor, Odunaro listed infrastructure development, improved revenue generation and the implementation of projects capable of delivering tangible benefits to residents.
He also dismissed suggestions that Adeola would make the construction of a new airport a major priority of his administration.
Rather, he said the focus would be on improving existing infrastructure and enhancing its commercial viability.
“He is just going to improve on the already existing one. Maybe take it to a level that it will be so commercially viable that Ogun will continue to benefit from it,” Odunaro said.
APC Unity and 2027 Election
Addressing the internal affairs of the APC in Ogun State, Odunaro said disagreements within the party would not necessarily affect its preparations for the 2027 election.
He described Adeola’s emergence as the party’s governorship candidate as the product of consultations and what he termed a consensus among relevant stakeholders.
“It was a consensus based on agreement of every relevant stakeholder. The whole party agreed,” he said.
Odunaro also spoke on the controversy surrounding the party’s governorship ticket, maintaining that the recognised primary process should determine the legitimate candidate of the party.
Ancestry Debate
On questions surrounding Adeola’s ancestry and eligibility to contest the governorship, Odunaro rejected attempts to use the issue to prevent the senator from participating in the election.
He argued that constitutional requirements for contesting the governorship should take precedence over arguments based on ancestry.
“The issue of ancestry, like I said, they raise it because they want to exclude him. But there is no need to exclude him. They are going to put you in a mood and exclude him with your vote,” he said.
Odunaro maintained that the 2027 governorship contest should ultimately centre on the qualifications, policies, experience and capacity of the candidates to govern Ogun State.
