2027: Tinubu deserves second term, Adeola declares

….Sets two million votes target for APC in Ogun, pledges to consolidate Abiodun’s achievements By James Ogunnaike, Abeokuta The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State for the 2027 general elections, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, has declared that President Bola Tinubu deserves a second term, citing what he described as the achievements of his administration in infrastructure, education and workers’ welfare.

Adeola made the declaration on Thursday at the IBD/INUMIDUN Squad for PDA/PBAT/YAYI and All Ogun State APC Candidates Rally in Abeokuta, where he urged Nigerians to support Tinubu’s re-election bid. He said the President had demonstrated the courage and political will to take difficult decisions aimed at repositioning the country and laying a foundation for sustainable development.

According to him, the ongoing reforms and development initiatives of the Tinubu administration should be sustained to enable Nigerians reap their benefits rather than be abandoned midway. “We strongly believe that his administration deserves a second term. President Tinubu has demonstrated the courage to take difficult decisions for the long-term benefit of our country, and the gains already recorded must be consolidated,” Adeola said.

Highlighting some of the administration’s achievements, the senator cited the ongoing Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway projects, describing them as strategic investments expected to improve connectivity, facilitate trade and stimulate economic activities. He also pointed to the establishment of three federal tertiary institutions in Ogun State as evidence of the administration’s commitment to expanding access to higher education.

On workers’ welfare, Adeola commended Tinubu’s efforts to address pension-related challenges and improve the welfare of retirees, particularly through steps taken to ensure the payment of outstanding pension entitlements. The APC governorship candidate subsequently declared a target of two million votes for the party in Ogun State in the 2027 elections, urging members and stakeholders to translate their support into electoral victories.

He said the target covered all APC candidates, from the presidential election to the National Assembly, governorship and State House of Assembly elections. “We, as leaders and stakeholders in Ogun State, are committed to reciprocating the good work of our President through our votes. We are targeting two million votes for all APC candidates, from top to bottom.

“We are resolute, determined and committed to achieving this target,” he said. On the state’s political future, Adeola advocated continuity in governance, describing the proposed transition from Governor Dapo Abiodun’s administration to another APC-led government as an opportunity to sustain the state’s development trajectory. He said Ogun State was making a deliberate effort to achieve continuity in governance since its creation, adding that the achievements of the Abiodun administration should provide a foundation for further development.

“For the first time since the creation of Ogun State, and since the beginning of the current democratic dispensation, we are making a very strong and deliberate effort to achieve a government of continuity. “We are making a bold attempt to ensure a seamless transition from one APC-led administration to another. This is the responsibility before us, and it is a responsibility we must fulfil,” he said.

Adeola commended Abiodun for his contributions to the development of the state, particularly his efforts to establish what he described as a solid economic foundation. He, however, said he was prepared to consolidate the administration’s achievements, address existing gaps and take the state to a higher level of development if elected governor. The senator disclosed that his engagements with residents across the state’s local government areas had given him a better understanding of their expectations, challenges and development priorities.

According to him, residents want improved road networks, quality education, functional schools, thriving markets, better infrastructure, employment opportunities and an enhanced standard of living. He said these concerns would form the basis of his proposed development agenda, which he described as being anchored on continuity, consolidation, development and shared prosperity.

“I have travelled across the length and breadth of our state, visiting our local government areas and engaging with our people. I have listened carefully to their concerns, aspirations and expectations. “Our people are asking for development. They want good road networks, quality education, functional schools, thriving markets and improved infrastructure.

They also want opportunities for economic growth, employment and a better standard of living,” he said. Reaffirming his commitment to building on Abiodun’s record, Adeola said: “Governor Dapo Ab