Adeola puts policy continuity at centre of Ogun 2027 campaign

Adeola puts policy continuity at centre of Ogun 2027 campaign

ABEOKUTA,  — The All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in Ogun State, Senator Solomon Adeola, has placed policy continuity and accountability at the centre of his campaign for the 2027 governorship election, unveiling a nine-point development agenda he said should be judged on its implementation.

Adeola made the pledge on Friday during a familiarisation visit to the Ogun State Council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists in Abeokuta, where he presented his plans for infrastructure, jobs, agriculture, education, healthcare, industrialisation and institutional reforms.

The senator, who represents Ogun West in the National Assembly, said he deliberately chose to engage journalists before beginning his statewide campaign because of the media's role in informing voters and scrutinising political promises.

“I stand before you not as a politician reciting promises, but as a son of Ogun State bringing you a covenant, a plan I intend to be held accountable to, page by page, project by project,” he said.

The proposed programme includes improved electricity supply, digital connectivity, affordable housing and mass transportation, as well as a proposed commuter rail connection between Abeokuta and Lagos in collaboration with the Nigerian Railway Corporation.

Adeola also proposed OgunRide, a state-backed mobility platform that would provide commercial drivers, tricycle and motorcycle operators with access to health insurance, vehicle financing and cooperative support.

On jobs and youth development, he pledged to train 100,000 young people in digital skills by 2031 and establish a Youth Enterprise Hub in Abeokuta with satellite centres across the state. He also proposed microcredit schemes and expanded technical and vocational education.

The APC candidate said his wider programme would cover healthcare, security, agriculture, tourism and environmental management, including agro-industrial parks, support for farmers, waste-to-energy facilities and recycling hubs. His proposed healthcare programme, “Ilera D’ero”, would seek to expand access to healthcare.

Adeola also promised reforms in public finance, the civil service, justice and the legislature, alongside greater financial autonomy for local governments. He argued that allocations should flow directly to Ogun's 20 local government areas in accordance with the 2024 Supreme Court ruling.

The senator said his legislative experience, including his work with finance, public accounts and appropriations committees at state and federal levels, had given him an understanding of public finance that he intended to apply to governing the state.

His proposals come as political parties prepare for the 2027 Ogun governorship contest, with Adeola previously calling for campaigns to focus on concrete programmes rather than personal attacks. He has also advocated continuity in governance, arguing that viable projects inherited from previous administrations should be completed rather than abandoned.

Adeola urged journalists to scrutinise his manifesto and hold him accountable for the commitments if he wins the election, effectively turning the proposed agenda into a public benchmark against which his administration could be assessed.

Earlier in his address, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Ogun State Council, Comrade Wale Olanrewaju commended the senator for what he described as his visible interventions across the state. Olanrewaju said Adeola’s contributions to infrastructure, education, empowerment and other people-oriented initiatives had continued to attract attention across various communities.

The NUJ chairman also acknowledged Adeola’s support for the journalism profession, particularly the provision of a solar-powered borehole at the NUJ Secretariat Annex, annual support for the union’s Press Week programmes and the provision of laptops for journalists. He said the interventions had helped to improve the working environment and capacity of members of the Fourth Estate.

Olanrewaju, however, urged the senator to support the union’s broader development agenda, including the remodelling of its facilities, establishment of a modern digital newsroom and multimedia centre, training and capacity development, journalists’ welfare and housing schemes. He said the demands were contained in the NUJ’s ITESIWAJU framework for media development and good governance.