The All Progressives Congress’ consensus governorship candidate in Ogun State for the 2027 election, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, on Tuesday stepped up efforts to consolidate support within the party, meeting separately with former governorship Aspirant, Senator Iyabo Obasanjo, and former Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Ambassador Sarafa Ishola.
The two leaders were among aspirants who had shown interest in the Ogun governorship race before the APC’s strategic caucus meeting of April 13, where Governor Dapo Abiodun announced Adeola as the party’s consensus candidate.
Adeola, who represents Ogun West Senatorial District in the Senate, visited the two party stalwarts in Abeokuta in company with former Deputy Governors, Prince Segun Adesegun and Alhaja Salmot Badru, alongside other APC stakeholders, in what appeared to be a strategic move to strengthen party unity ahead of the 2027 governorship contest.
At her Abeokuta residence, Adeola commended Obasanjo for what he described as her political maturity and statesmanship in accepting the party’s decision and publicly aligning with his candidacy.
He said her swift endorsement of the APC’s consensus decision demonstrated uncommon magnanimity and commitment to party cohesion.
According to him, her public statement of support shortly after the consensus announcement was both reassuring and significant, noting that it underscored the need for unity and collective purpose within the party.
Adeola said his visit was not borne out of any need for reconciliation, but rather to appreciate her support and reaffirm his readiness to work with her and her political structure in the overall interest of the party and the state.
He assured the former senator that her ideas and political vision for Ogun would not be ignored, pledging to draw from her development blueprint in shaping a broader governance agenda for the state.
The APC candidate also promised an inclusive political process, stressing that no interest group within the party would be sidelined as preparations gather momentum for the 2027 election.
In her response, Obasanjo reaffirmed her commitment to the APC, saying she had already directed her supporters to work for the success of the party in the state.
She also pledged support for Adeola’s governorship ambition and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.
Adeola later visited Ambassador Sarafa Ishola, where political support groups hitherto aligned with the former envoy formally declared support for the APC consensus candidate.
No fewer than 24 support groups loyal to Ishola announced their decision to collapse their structures into Adeola’s political movement, in a move seen as a further boost to his growing coalition within the ruling party.
Addressing the gathering, Adeola described Ishola as a dependable and accomplished leader whose contributions to Ogun State and national development remain significant.
He said his visit was to seek Ishola’s support, appreciate his guidance and acknowledge the political value of the endorsement coming from the former diplomat and his loyalists.
Adeola said the decision of the support groups to align with his candidacy was a major vote of confidence in the collective aspiration of the party and the Ogun West governorship project.
He assured the groups that their support would not be taken for granted, promising to build on the confidence reposed in him to advance the state’s development.
In his remarks, Ishola said his support for Adeola was driven by the need to entrench a more peaceful and coordinated leadership transition in Ogun State.
He noted that political succession in the state had, over the years, been characterised by avoidable tension and elite disagreements, a trend he said must not continue.
According to him, the emergence of Adeola as the APC consensus candidate marked a significant departure from the divisive succession patterns that trailed previous transitions in the state.
Ishola observed that the presence and endorsement of former governors and the incumbent governor at the April 13 caucus meeting reflected a new political culture of consensus and internal cohesion within the APC.
He added that beyond the party’s consensus arrangement, he remained committed to the aspiration of Ogun West producing the next governor of the state, noting that the district’s aspirants were now united behind a common cause.
With the endorsements of Obasanjo and Ishola, Adeola appears to be deepening consultations across key blocs within the Ogun APC as he works to consolidate support for his 2027 governorship bid.
