By ’Dare Odufowokan
In politics, succession is often the ultimate test of leadership. While some leaders leave office without a clear successor, others become consumed by bitter succession battles that fracture parties, stall governance and diminish their legacies. In Ogun State, Governor Dapo Abiodun appears determined to chart a different course.
With less than a year remaining in his constitutionally permitted second term, the governor has moved decisively to settle the question of succession within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), endorsing Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, as the party’s consensus governorship candidate for the 2027 election.
Beyond producing the party’s standard bearer, the move is widely seen as an attempt to preserve political stability, sustain the developmental momentum of the current administration and ensure that the policies and programmes initiated over the last seven years are not abandoned after May 2027.
The endorsement, announced during a strategic APC caucus meeting in Abeokuta, effectively brought an end to months of intense political speculation and the ambitions of more than a dozen aspirants who had expressed interest in succeeding Governor Abiodun.
Unlike previous transitions in the state’s political history, where succession contests often left deep divisions within the ruling party, the governor opted for consensus-building, extensive consultations and stakeholder engagement before settling on Adeola.
Addressing party leaders after the decision, Abiodun explained that the overriding consideration was the long-term interest of Ogun State.
“Painstakingly, while placing the interests of the good people of our dear state above every other consideration, we have decided who is most deserving,” he declared.
Moments later, Senator Adeola was presented to party leaders amid prolonged applause.
The governor described the decision as one driven not by politics alone, but by a sense of responsibility to the future.
“We needed to be forward-looking. There are so many things at stake, and the future of Ogun State remains paramount. What we have achieved reflects the true Ogun spirit. History will be kind to all of us because we have demonstrated that peaceful succession and consensus-building are possible in our politics,” he said.
There was another important consideration.
Since Ogun State was created in 1976, no governor has emerged from Ogun West Senatorial District. By backing Adeola, Governor Abiodun also aligned himself with the growing argument that the district deserves the opportunity to produce the state’s next chief executive in the interest of equity and fairness.
The decision has continued to generate widespread reactions within the APC and beyond.
For many party leaders, Adeola’s emergence was less about political compromise and more about selecting a candidate whose experience in public office has prepared him for the demands of governing one of Nigeria’s foremost industrial states.
Former Political Adviser to the Governor, Adebiyi Adeleye, believes the APC made the right choice.
According to him, Adeola’s progression from the Ogun State House of Assembly to the House of Representatives and eventually the Senate demonstrates both political maturity and administrative experience.
“He is the most prepared and experienced candidate to lead Ogun State into its next phase of development,” Adeleye said, while commending Governor Abiodun for what he described as securing the state’s future through careful succession planning.
Former Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Suraj Adekunbi, shares a similar view.
He argues that Adeola’s years in the National Assembly, particularly as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, have given him invaluable exposure to public finance, budgeting and governance.
“As a chartered accountant and experienced legislator, he possesses the qualities required to manage a state of Ogun’s economic significance,” Adekunbi noted.
Across the state, support groups have also welcomed the governor’s decision.
The Yayi Progressives Movement described the endorsement as a triumph of competence, continuity and equity, applauding President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Abiodun and other APC leaders for supporting Adeola’s emergence.
“Governor Abiodun has shown leadership by putting Ogun State first. History will remember this decision. Yayi represents competence, vision and years of dedicated service,” the group stated.
Similarly, The Remo Group (TRG33), a socio-political organisation based in Ogun East, praised the governor for aligning with what it described as the wishes of the people.
“By choosing Yayi, Governor Abiodun demonstrated that he understands the mood of the people. He has presented a candidate capable of winning the election while sustaining the developmental strides of the present administration,” the group said.
Beyond political circles, many residents say continuity has become one of the defining issues ahead of the 2027 election.
For Tunde Ogunyemi, a commercial motorcyclist in Ado-Odo/Ota, the governor’s endorsement offers reassurance that ongoing infrastructure projects will not be abandoned.
“This government has done so much for the people. We want someone who will continue the good work instead of starting all over again,” he said.
In Ilaro, the mood is equally optimistic.
“Our turn has finally come,” said Alhaja Risikat Bello, a cassava trader. “Yayi is our son. We have seen what he has done for our communities and we believe Ogun West deserves this opportunity.”
Civil servants and labour leaders have also spoken in favour of policy continuity.
“We have seen what happens whenever governments change and projects are abandoned because of political differences. We hope this transition will be different,” said Comrade Arinola Ogunsanwo in Abeokuta.
Supporters of the APC candidate also point to his legislative record.
Within three years in the Senate, they say, Adeola facilitated more than 53 development projects covering roads, schools, healthcare facilities, police stations, community halls and other infrastructure across Ogun’s three senatorial districts.
His regular empowerment programmes—including scholarships, grants for market women, transformers, ambulances and school buses—are also cited as evidence of his grassroots connection.
The choice of Mrs. Kudirat Balogun, a finance and corporate governance professional, as his running mate has further reinforced, in the eyes of supporters, the ticket’s emphasis on competence, inclusiveness and balanced representation.
Governor Abiodun has consistently framed his support for Adeola within the broader objective of preserving his administration’s achievements.
“This move is about legacy and the future of the Gateway State,” he has repeatedly maintained.
Adeola, for his part, has pledged to sustain the programmes of the present administration while introducing new initiatives to accelerate development.
“When elected, I will not only sustain and build upon the achievements of the current administration, but also ensure a seamless transition, inclusive governance and sustained progress for Ogun State,” he has promised.
His message since emerging as the APC candidate has been one of unity.
“Going forward from today, I assure you that a new Ogun State is being built. Everything necessary to keep our people united and take our state to greater heights will be done.”
Ultimately, every governor hopes to leave office with a legacy that endures beyond his tenure. For Governor Dapo Abiodun, that legacy is not only reflected in roads, housing estates, industrial investments, healthcare facilities and educational reforms. It also lies in his determination to ensure that those achievements are preserved by a successor he believes shares the same vision.
Whether the electorate endorses that vision in 2027 will be decided at the ballot box. But within the APC, Governor Abiodun has already made his choice, and in doing so, has set the tone for what promises to be one of the most consequential governorship elections in Ogun State’s democratic history.
*Odufowokan writes from Abeokuta
