Yayi Shares Plan for Ogun State, Promises Continuity

The Ogun State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Senator Solomon Adeola, known as Yayi, on Monday shared his nine-point plan called “ITESIWAJU for Ogun State.” He emphasized the need for continuity in governance and development in the state.

Adeola is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation and represents Ogun West Senatorial District. He pointed to Lagos State as a great example of how new administrations can build on the work of their predecessors to boost economic and infrastructure development.

He made this announcement in Abeokuta during a meeting with members of the Inter-Party Advisory Council in Ogun State.

Adeola mentioned that the progress seen in Lagos since 1999 is partly due to what he called a smooth transition between governments. He believes Ogun can also see similar benefits if future governments continue and finish worthwhile projects started by their predecessors instead of abandoning them.

He pointed out that Lagos’s growth shows how important it is to keep policies in place. Research has shown that since 1999, different administrations have focused on governance reforms, infrastructure, transportation, revenue generation, and urban development.

The APC candidate promised that if he wins, his government will continue important infrastructure projects left by the current government instead of ignoring them just because they were started by someone else.

Adeola stressed that stopping projects because of changes in government can slow down development for years. He said projects should be judged by their benefits to the people, not by who started them.

He urged candidates to run issue-based campaigns for the 2027 election. He wants candidates to clearly lay out their plans for youth development, women’s empowerment, industrialization, agriculture, infrastructure, security, job creation, and economic growth.

Adeola said, “If Lagos could achieve what it has achieved through smooth transitions of government, we can start to see the benefits that continuity can bring to the economy and development of Ogun.

“People must know your plans for the youth, the economy, women, industrialization, infrastructure, contractors, and agriculture. Where are you taking us to? People should judge us on those issues,” he stated.

He then introduced his development agenda, named “Itesiwaju,” which he said was created after talking to many people and aims to meet the state's needs in various sectors.

He explained that the slogan “Itesiwaju Ipinle Ogun” means the progress of Ogun State and is built on a solid development plan.

The acronym ITESIWAJU stands for I, Infrastructure; T, Tourism and Culture; E, Economic Empowerment; S, Security and Welfare; I, Inclusive Growth and Well-being; W, Women, Youth and Poverty Eradication; A, Agriculture and Food Security; J, Job Creation and Industrialisation; and U, Urbanisation and Transparency.

He said this plan is not just a way to seek political power; it is meant to address what he sees as the needs of the state in different areas.

The senator added, “This is not a document put together just for the sake of it. It is not a document made to grab power.

“I created this document with purpose. It took me three years to develop. It is carefully crafted to meet the needs of everyone in this state.”

He revealed that he gathered input for this plan from thousands of people across Ogun State.

Adeola believes that Ogun has enough resources to become a development model. He said his drive comes from wanting to help the state grow.

He called on other candidates and political parties to share their plans with the voters so they can compare different ideas before the election.

He dismissed questions about his ancestry as mere politics and a sign of the opposition's desperation for power.

He said he is focused on Ogun State's development and will not be distracted or intimidated by these issues.

“My ancestral challenge is just politics and desperation for power. I have a vision and believe in Ogun’s development, so I will not be bothered. I will not be blackmailed. Under my government, you must be qualified to earn a position,” he said.

Earlier, the Ogun State IPAC Chairman, Comrade Abayomi Sanyaolu, praised the APC candidate for his achievements across the three senatorial districts.

Sanyaolu advised all governorship candidates to avoid inflammatory language and personal attacks. He urged candidates to present their manifestos and focus on issue-based campaigns.