Intrigue As Ogun Deputy Governor Joins Senate Race

Intrigue has deepened in Ogun West politics as the Deputy Governor of Ogun State, Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele, joined the senatorial race for 2027, throwing the region into fresh political permutations.

Our correspondent gathered that Salako-Oyedele, who was reportedly tipped as the preferred successor to her principal, Governor Dapo Abiodun, before the All Progressives Congress (APC) adopted a consensus governorship candidate, has obtained the Senate nomination forms.

The forms were reportedly obtained on her behalf by a third party on April 30.

The political landscape of Ogun State took a decisive turn after the adoption of Senator Olamilekan Adeola (Yayi) as the consensus governorship candidate of the APC.

With the governorship slot settled, attention has now shifted to the vacuum he would leave behind in the Ogun West Senatorial District.

The Deputy Governor has now officially entered the race to succeed Adeola in the Red Chamber.

Photos showing her nomination and expression of interest forms have surfaced, signaling her intent to represent the people of Ogun West.

Apart from Salako-Oyedele, about three other male aspirants have reportedly obtained forms.

They include Senator Gbolahan Dada, Waliu Taiwo, and Jimoh Ojugbele.

Insiders told our correspondent that growing ambition among top politicians in the region has made a consensus arrangement difficult, even though some stakeholders are reportedly backing the Deputy Governor’s candidacy based on gender considerations.

Our correspondent recalls that Ogun State has not produced a female senator since 2011, when Senator Iyabo Obasanjo left the Red Chamber.

Following the precedent set by Adeola’s emergence as the governorship candidate, political observers and APC stakeholders are now looking toward a seamless transition in the senatorial race.

Sources within the party suggest that a consensus arrangement would help maintain the unity currently enjoyed by the Ogun APC and avoid internal friction as the 2026/2027 election cycle approaches.

The Deputy Governor is a UK-trained civil and public health engineer with an MSc from Imperial College London.

She hails from Ota in Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area and commands deep respect within the Awori and Yewa blocs that form the backbone of the district.(Daily trust)