…Promises jobs, infrastructure, industrial growth, local government autonomy
The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Ogun State, Senator Solomon Adeola, has pledged to build an administration anchored on measurable development, accountability and inclusive governance, with a focus on converting the state’s economic potential into tangible benefits for residents.
Adeola made the commitment on Friday when he visited the Ogun State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) at the Iwe Iroyin Press Centre, Abeokuta, as part of engagements ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
The senator said Ogun State had reached a critical point where its strategic location, industrial base, agricultural resources, coastline and human capital must be deliberately harnessed to create jobs, expand infrastructure and improve living standards.
He said his proposed administration would not be driven by promises alone, but by an implementation framework with measurable targets and public accountability.
“A manifesto that stays on paper is a betrayal of the people who trusted it,” Adeola said.
“This covenant will be built into a clear implementation plan with measurable targets, every agency held to performance agreements tied to these commitments, and honest, public reporting on what is working and what is not.”
Adeola said his vision was to create “a transformed Ogun State where our natural and human resources are sustainably harnessed to unlock our economic and agro-industrial prowess, while ensuring inclusive governance and shared prosperity for our citizens in a vibrant and secure environment.”
According to him, the state’s geographical position gives it an advantage that must be translated into economic opportunities for ordinary citizens.
He identified the state’s proximity to Lagos, its borders with other South-West states and the Republic of Benin, as well as its access to the Atlantic Ocean, as strategic assets capable of positioning Ogun as a major regional trade and export hub.
“Ogun State stands at the cusp of greatness,” he said, stressing that the state should become a major gateway for exports under the African Continental Free Trade Area rather than merely serving as a transit corridor for economic activities.
The APC candidate said infrastructure would form a major part of his development strategy, with plans for mass transit along major urban corridors, improved rail connectivity with Lagos and the development of a state-backed mobility system.
He also promised investments in digital connectivity, affordable housing and the development of new urban centres along emerging economic corridors.
In the area of employment, Adeola said his administration would prioritise youth entrepreneurship, digital skills, technical education and industrial expansion.
He proposed the training of 100,000 young people in digital skills by 2031 and the establishment of a Youth Enterprise Hub in Abeokuta, with satellite centres across the state to provide business support and access to microcredit.
Agriculture, according to him, would also be repositioned through mechanisation, improved access to finance, agro-processing and the establishment of produce markets to reduce post-harvest losses and strengthen farmers’ access to markets.
He said Ogun’s emerging oil and maritime opportunities must also be managed transparently and used to stimulate development in host communities, particularly in the coastal axis.
“We must prepare for this revenue responsibly. It must be governed transparently, and it must visibly rebuild the coastal communities that have waited longest for development,” he said.
Adeola further promised to strengthen healthcare delivery through expansion of health infrastructure and the revitalisation of the “Ilera D’ero” health insurance scheme, with a target of enrolling two million residents.
He also proposed reforms in security, education, justice, civil service, environmental management and physical planning.
A significant component of his agenda, he said, would be strengthening local government administration to ensure that development reaches communities directly.
“Government that cannot be felt where people live is not government at all,” Adeola said, pledging that his administration would respect local government autonomy and ensure that resources meant for the 20 local government areas are applied to development at the grassroots.
On revenue generation, Adeola acknowledged the progress recorded by the present administration, noting that Ogun’s internally generated revenue had grown substantially in recent years.
He said his administration would build on the existing foundation through technology-driven revenue collection rather than imposing additional burdens on residents.
“My task is not to start from zero, it is to take that momentum and push it further,” he said.
Adeola also gave assurances of an open relationship with the media, promising regular press briefings, compliance with the Freedom of Information Act and greater attention to the welfare and safety of journalists.
He described the media as an important partner in ensuring accountability and said journalists would have a role in monitoring the implementation of his administration’s commitments.
“My administration will comply fully with the Freedom of Information Act, hold regular, substantive press briefings rather than choreographed photo opportunities, and treat this Union as a partner in governance, not an inconvenience to be managed,” he said.
The governorship candidate urged journalists to scrutinise his plans and hold him accountable for every commitment made.
“I do not come to you asking you to believe me. I come asking you to hold me to this manifesto, line by line, project by project,”
Adeola said.
He added that his ultimate objective was to ensure that the benefits of government were felt across the state, from urban centres to rural and coastal communities.
“Itesiwaju Ipinle Ogun Lo Je Wa Logun, the progress of Ogun State is our duty and our calling. Let us build, together, the Ogun of our dreams: a state where governance truly works for everyone,” he said.
Earlier, the Chairman of the NUJ, Ogun State Council, Comrade Wale Olarenwaju, rolled out some of the achievements and projects recorded by the council under his leadership in the last three years.
Olarenwaju highlighted the initiatives and projects executed, saying the council had continued to strengthen its structures, improve the working environment for journalists, and advance the welfare and professional development of its members.
He said the achievements were made possible through the cooperation of NUJ members, media organisations, and other stakeholders, adding that the council remained committed to building on the progress recorded over the three-year period.
The NUJ chairman, however, said there was still a need for stronger intervention in areas directly affecting the welfare and living conditions of journalists in the state.
Olarenwaju called for the establishment of a dedicated journalists’ estate in Ogun State to address the housing needs of media practitioners and provide them with access to affordable accommodation.
He appealed to Adeola to include the media community in his development plans, particularly in the areas of welfare, housing, capacity building, safety, and infrastructure.
Olarenwaju also highlighted the need for stronger support for the NUJ’s permanent site, noting that a befitting secretariat and professional facilities would enhance the union’s capacity to serve journalists and contribute to the development of the profession.
In recognition of Adeola’s relationship with the media community and his expressed commitment to journalists, the NUJ Ogun State Council decorated him as Golden Jubilee ambassador of the Ogun State Council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists to mark the union 50th years anniversary.
Responding to the issues raised by the union, Adeola reiterated his commitment to supporting journalists and promised that the N50 million initial funding for the NUJ permanent site would serve as a take-off contribution towards the project.
He also promised that the new NUJ bus would be provided to facilitate the union’s activities and improve its mobility.
Beyond the media sector, Adeola unveiled a nine-point development agenda covering infrastructure, job creation, agriculture, healthcare, education, industrialisation, security, tourism, and institutional reforms.
He proposed an Ogun State Bus Mass Transit Programme on major routes, including the Abeokuta-Sango-Ota-Sagamu corridor, while also promising to explore commuter rail connections between Abeokuta, Lagos and industrial corridors.
On employment and youth development, Adeola promised to train 100,000 young people in digital skills by 2031 and establish a Youth Enterprise Hub in Abeokuta, with satellite hubs across the state and access to microcredit for young entrepreneurs.
He also proposed reforms in agriculture, healthcare, education, waste management, security, and the civil service while promising to strengthen local government administration and improve the state’s revenue mobilisation system.
Adeola said Ogun’s proximity to Lagos, neighbouring states, the Atlantic Ocean and the Republic of Benin placed it in a strategic position to benefit from industrialisation, trade, tourism and the African Continental Free Trade Area.
On governance, he pledged to make his administration’s programmes measurable, with government agencies assigned performance targets and regular public reporting.
He urged journalists not only to report his promises but also to monitor their implementation if he is elected governor.
“I do not come to you asking you to believe me. I come asking you to hold me to this manifesto, line by line, project by project,” he said.
