Ogun 2027: Adeola unveils blueprint, pledges jobs, security, healthcare

Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, has unveiled an ambitious development blueprint for Ogun State, promising reforms in governance, agriculture, industrialisation, security, healthcare, education and youth empowerment if elected governor in 2027.

Adeola, the governorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress in Ogun State, while outlining his policy agenda at a meeting with journalists in Ogun State at the NUJ Secretariat in Abeokuta on Friday, pledged that his administration would fully comply with the Freedom of Information Act and maintain regular, substantive press briefings as part of efforts to promote transparency and accountability.

Adeola also promised to prioritise the welfare and safety of journalists, describing the media as a partner in governance rather than an inconvenience.

According to him, “a government that fears scrutiny has already told you what it intends to hide,” while stressing that his administration would operate an open and accountable government.

Adeola said his proposed administration would be driven by six major catalysts: fiscal discipline and revenue mobilisation, legislative reform, civil service and justice reform, asset optimisation and commercialisation, and local government autonomy.

He also promised to translate his manifesto into measurable programmes, with heads of government agencies signing performance agreements and being subjected to public assessment.

“From manifesto to action. A manifesto that stays on paper is a betrayal of the people who trusted it,” he said.

On agriculture, Adeola promised to move Ogun from subsistence to mechanised farming, while developing a system that would enable farmers to produce throughout the year.

He said his administration would establish mechanisms for government to purchase farm produce from farmers, allowing them to receive payment and return to production without waiting until the next planting or harvest cycle.

Adeola said he had already distributed more than 40 tractors and other agricultural equipment to farmers, adding that mechanisation would receive greater attention under his proposed administration.

He also pledged to maximise the economic benefits of Ogun’s industrial base by encouraging companies operating in the state to establish regional offices in Abeokuta.

According to him, although Ogun is one of Nigeria’s major industrial hubs, the state does not receive commensurate revenue because many companies maintain their headquarters in Lagos, where senior executives pay their taxes on behalf of over 20 staffs.

He said his administration would seek stronger partnerships with industries to increase employment opportunities for Ogun residents and ensure that more economic value generated in the state remains within the state.

Adeola also promised to pursue greater state participation in the exploitation of Ogun’s mineral resources.

“I will be the Chief Miner of this state. I will fight for every mining certificate in this state from the federal government, he declared, arguing that the state should have a greater role in determining how its natural resources are exploited.

On security, Adeola promised to strengthen the Ogun State Security Trust Fund, establish a cybersecurity and security operational centre, and create a Resident Identity Management Agency.

He said industries operating in Ogun should be brought into a structured security partnership with the government, similar to the model he referenced in Lagos State.

Adeola also proposed using part of revenue from gaming and lottery activities, alongside budgetary allocations and contributions from industries, to strengthen security infrastructure and equipment.

In healthcare, Adeola pledged to expand access to healthcare facilities, strengthen the state’s health insurance scheme, Ilera Dero, and target two million enrolled residents.

He said his administration would also invest in doctors, nurses and community health workers.

Adeola claimed that he had facilitated the construction of more than 100 primary healthcare centres across Ogun State over the past three years and supported ongoing projects involving general hospitals across the state.

He, however, promised to build on existing healthcare initiatives, including coverage for elderly residents, while improving the state’s health insurance system.

Adeola also promised to expand educational infrastructure, including classrooms, libraries, staff rooms and sanitary facilities.

He said his administration would focus on producing young people who are “work-ready, not just certificate-ready,” with greater emphasis on skills and employability.

On sports, he pledged to revive football development in the state and establish an annual Governor’s Cup as a platform for identifying young talents.

He also promised to revive a state football club capable of representing Ogun at the national level.

Adeola said his administration would establish four major vocational centres across Ogun’s four divisions to provide young people with practical skills and improve their chances of employment.

He linked the initiative to his broader agenda of poverty reduction, youth empowerment and economic development.

On environmental sustainability and physical planning, Adeola promised greater attention to border communities and emerging estates, including areas around Arepo and the proposed Journalists Estate.

He said his administration would seek to address the growth of shanties and other informal settlements while demanding greater corporate social responsibility from companies operating along the state’s borders.

Adeola also welcomed the reported development of a $7 billion deep-sea port, describing it as an opportunity for Ogun to compete more effectively with Lagos in maritime and logistics activities.

He said the port’s proximity to the coastal road could create significant economic opportunities for the state and strengthen its position as an industrial and logistics hub.

Adeola urged journalists to hold him accountable to his proposed policies and programmes if given the opportunity to govern.

“Gentlemen of the press, 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.

As part of the partnership he promised media, Adeola pledge to support the Nigeria Union of Journalist the sum of N50million its proposed permanent site.

Speaking on behalf of journalists, Comrade Wale Olanrewaju thanked the APC candidate for his continuous support for the union.

He also urged him to prioritize the media and hold the media as number one tools for information if he gets to government.