The Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo in Ogun State has endorsed President Bola Tinubu for re-election and Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, for the 2027 governorship election.
The socio-cultural organisation also plans to confer the chieftaincy title of Dike Eji Eje Mba on Adeola in recognition of what it described as his contributions to the development of Ogun State.
The organisation’s Ogun State president, Eze Stephen Okorie, disclosed the endorsement when he led a five-man delegation on a courtesy visit to the senator.
According to a statement issued on Monday by Chief Kayode Odunaro, Adeola’s special adviser on media, the delegation visited to inform the lawmaker of the planned honour.
Okorie said the installation ceremony would hold in Abeokuta towards the end of October. He added that the event would feature the formal endorsement of Adeola and a declaration of support for all All Progressives Congress candidates in the state.
Explaining the decision, Okorie said the organisation was impressed by what he described as Adeola’s developmental interventions, particularly road construction and market infrastructure to promote trade and commerce.
He said he had lived in Ogun State for 36 years, residing in Owode-Yewa, in Yewa South Local Government Area, and had observed political and developmental activities in the state.
According to him, the Igbo community believes Adeola would sustain his development efforts if elected governor in 2027.
Okorie also disclosed that he had personally constructed five campaign billboards promoting Tinubu and Adeola across the state and produced campaign materials for the senator and the APC.
He said the endorsement was also informed by the need to address the political marginalisation of Ogun West, which has yet to produce a governor since the creation of the state.
Okorie expressed confidence that Adeola would extend his development priorities to residents across ethnic backgrounds if elected.
In May, Governor Dapo Abiodun presented Adeola to APC stakeholders in Ogun West as the party’s consensus governorship candidate. The governor said the decision was aimed at addressing the district’s longstanding absence from the governorship seat.
Responding to the delegation, Adeola recalled the support he received from members of the Igbo community during his political career in Lagos State.
He also noted that he had previously been honoured with the chieftaincy title of Dike Di Ora Nma by an Eze Ndi Igbo in Lagos.
The senator said his approach to politics was based on inclusion and good governance for all residents, regardless of ethnic or religious background.
“My brand of politics is politics of inclusion and delivery of good governance for all the people,” Adeola said, adding that roads, schools, hospitals and other infrastructure projects should benefit everyone.
He said all law-abiding Nigerians should be able to conduct business and make progress in Ogun State.
Those present during the courtesy visit included the APC deputy governorship candidate in Ogun State, Alhaja Kudirat Abiodun Adegunwa Balogun; Minister of State for Health and Social Services, Dr Kunle Salako; Ogun State Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Jimoh Ojugbele; and the APC Ogun West senatorial candidate, among other party figures.
The planned chieftaincy ceremony is expected to provide the occasion for the organisation’s formal declaration of support for Tinubu, Adeola and other APC candidates in the state.
