2027: Ogun tertiary dons endorse Tinubu, Yayi, cite reforms

...Group says economic reforms, infrastructure, student loan scheme influenced decision

L-R: State Secretary, OSTITY, Dr.Shoge Fatimat Binta, State Co-ordinator, OSTITY, Prof.Oyenuga Anthony Oyetunde and an execute member 

Academics and professionals across tertiary institutions in Ogun State have endorsed the re-election bid of President Bola Tinubu and the governorship ambition of Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, ahead of the 2027 elections.

The group, under the aegis of Ogun State Tertiary Intellects for Tinubu and Yay, OSTITY, said its endorsement followed an assessment of the candidates’ track records, policies, capacity and vision for the country and the state.

The State Coordinator of the group, Prof. Oyenuga Anthony Oyetunde, stated this on Tuesday while addressing journalists at Nuj secretariat, Iwe-Iroyin, Abeokuta.

Oyetunde said the group, comprising academic and non-teaching staff across tertiary institutions in the state, had resolved to mobilise intellectuals in support of Tinubu’s second-term bid and Adeola’s ambition to become governor of Ogun State.

He said the group’s decision was based on its assessment of what he described as key achievements of the Tinubu administration, including economic reforms, infrastructure development, education financing, security and efforts to attract investments.

The professor acknowledged that the reforms introduced by the Federal Government since 2023 had created economic pressure for households and businesses but argued that the solution was to strengthen and consolidate the reforms rather than abandon them.

He said, “Our collective assessment, as intellectuals, is that the appropriate response is to correct, strengthen and consolidate the reforms, especially as economic relief is gradually taking effect and inflation begins to stabilise, rather than abandon the reform trajectory entirely.”

Listing what he described as achievements of the Tinubu administration, Oyetunde cited the removal of fuel subsidy, unification of the official and parallel foreign exchange markets, tax reforms, expansion of non-oil revenue and measures aimed at reducing the country’s debt-service burden.

He also cited road construction and rehabilitation projects across the country, including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the ongoing reconstruction of the Ibadan-Ife-Ilesha Road and the reconstruction and dualisation of the Ibadan-Ijebu-Ode and Abeokuta-Ibadan roads.

According to him, the administration has also taken steps to increase domestic petroleum refining capacity, boost crude oil production, develop gas infrastructure and advance railway projects.

Oyetunde further highlighted the Nigeria Education Loan Fund, saying the scheme would help reduce financial barriers confronting students seeking higher education and vocational training in public institutions.

He said the group would embark on intellectual engagements and mobilisation across tertiary institutions in Ogun to explain the policies and programmes of Tinubu and Adeola to students, academics and other stakeholders.

He added that the group would also facilitate discussions on development projects that could be attracted to tertiary institutions across the state.

The coordinator said the group was not merely endorsing the candidates for political reasons, but had arrived at its position after what he described as a rigorous evaluation of their records and capacity.

“Having scrutinised the profiles, policy track records, capacity and vision of the various candidates for the presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and governorship of Ogun State, we are convinced, beyond doubt, to declare our full support for the candidacy of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term as President and Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, as the next Executive Governor of Ogun State come May 29, 2027,” he said.

Oyetunde said the group’s decision to support Adeola was based on what he described as the senator’s track record of legislative interventions, grassroots development and commitment to human capital development.

He said Ogun State was at a defining phase of its political and developmental evolution, arguing that the state needed a governor with the capacity to provide effective governance, legislative mastery, administrative competence and a strong understanding of grassroots needs.

“Against this background, OSTITY is supporting Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, who has built a distinguished public service career spanning over two decades,” Oyetunde said.

According to him, Adeola’s record was characterised by financial expertise, legislative oversight and extensive grassroots interventions aimed at creating opportunities for human capital development.

He said the senator had facilitated numerous infrastructural projects across rural and urban communities in the state, including the construction and rehabilitation of roads linking communities and improving commercial activities.

Oyetunde listed some of the projects as the construction of the Yewa axis road network, the Ilaro-Owode Road and several other community roads across the state, saying the interventions had helped improve connectivity and ease the movement of people and goods.

He added that Adeola had facilitated the construction of markets in different parts of the state, including projects in Yewa North, Yewa South and Ado-Odo/Ota, while other market projects were ongoing in Abeokuta North and Abeokuta South.

The coordinator also cited the provision of electricity infrastructure, including more than 1,000 transformers and solar-powered facilities across communities, as part of Adeola’s interventions.

He said the senator had also facilitated the restoration of electricity to several communities through major electricity projects.

Oyetunde further noted that Adeola had supported the construction of modern community halls in various communities, while also organising vocational training programmes and distributing working tools, digital equipment, farm inputs and financial grants to youths, artisans, traders and farmers.

On education, the coordinator said the senator had facilitated scholarship and bursary interventions for students across the 20 local government areas of the state.

He said the scheme had provided financial assistance to indigent students and helped to prevent beneficiaries from dropping out of school because of financial difficulties.

According to him, Adeola has also facilitated healthcare interventions, including the provision and equipping of primary healthcare facilities, ambulances and other medical equipment for communities and institutions.

Oyetunde said the group considered the interventions evidence of Adeola’s commitment to improving the welfare of the people, particularly at the grassroots.

“These verified achievements demonstrate a record of leadership and true service. This is why we believe that competence, capacity and continuity should guide the choice of the people of Ogun State,” he said.

He urged students, youths, market associations and other residents to support Adeola’s governorship ambition, stressing that the group would embark on a systematic campus-to-campus mobilisation and voter education campaign.

He said the initiative would focus on persuading eligible voters to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards and participate actively in the electoral process.

Oyetunde said the group would seek to mobilise support for Adeola based on his record and competence rather than financial inducement.

“We have structured a systematic campus-to-campus communication and mobilisation strategy to secure a bloc-free vote for our candidates based on clear convictions rather than financial inducement,” he said.

The coordinator added that the group had resolved to support Adeola because of what it described as his capacity to contribute to national stability, economic recovery, accelerated development, equity and infrastructural transformation across Ogun State.

He said, “For national stability and economic recovery, Yayi is our choice. For accelerated growth, equity and infrastructural transformation at the local government level, we believe Yayi has the capacity to deliver.”

Oyetunde urged members of the tertiary education community to participate actively in the electoral process and make informed choices based on candidates’ records, competence and development agenda.

He also called for peaceful and issue-based political engagement ahead of the 2027 elections.