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For OGUN Central Votes
Few months to the 2027 Ogun General elections, the focus has been on Ogun Central Senatorial District, as Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola popularly called Yayi and Hon. Ladi Adebutu are josling for votes.
This is because Ogun Central is a very important zone. And whoever wants to win the Ogun governorship must win overwhelmingly in that zone. The zone attracts a lot of votes that will ultimately decide who emerges victorious at the polls. The way things stand now, the Ogun governorship race is a 2-horse race between this 2 gentleman. Both are 2 strong contenders.
That is why since the race started a few months back, all eyes have been on Ogun Central.
This is because Yayi is from Ogun West and picked an Ogun East running mate who is from Ososa, Ijebu Central Federal Constituency in Ogun East senatorial district. She is the daughter of industrialist. Alhaji-Sulaiman Adebola Adegunwa, Chairman of Rite Foods. He is the Asiwaju of Ijebuland..
Ladi is from Iperu-remo. He is the son of Sir Kesington Adebutu. But he is not coming out of Iperu. Like he did the last time, he will be coming out of Odogbolu, where his mum comes from.
He has an Egba running mate.
Insiders say going by the Maths, Yayi has Ogun West locked down. That is his base. Ladi also has Ogun East on lock down. That is also his base. So, Ogun Central is the battlefield that must be won to swing the votes in their favour. Yayi needs Ogun Central votes to win. So also Ladi.
Both believe they can get it. That is why both of them have been campaigning across Ogun Central rigorously.
For instance few weeks back both of them visited the Alake of Egbaland at different times to receive royal blessings. They were both given warm welcome. They have also visited Egba stakeholders for their prayers and buy-in. Both have also traced their lineage to Ogun Central. Senator Yayi has made it known that his mum is Egba, and that he has done a lot for his people in that area. His mother is from Kemta, in Abeokuta North LGA. Kemta is a major Egba community.
Ladi has also traced his ancestry to Ijeun Akoni, Osiele Ogun Central, which is where his grandfather died and was buried.
So, who will Ogun Central leaders support? No one knows. What is clear is that the Egbas are divided.
Although Yayi is quite popular in Ogun Central, there are a few stakeholders who have problems with his ancestry especially the controversy surrounding his pedigree. As you read this there is a lot of controversy surrounding where he comes from. There are those who insist that Yayi is not from Ogun State.
That is one group. But there is yet another group of Ogun Central leaders who support Yayi, despite all the criticism. The 1st group are those that have been described as Egba Aristocrats who are not comfortable supporting Yayi. They see Yayi as an imposition on them from Lagos, by President Tinubu.
They argue that although he say he is from Ogun West, he has lived all his life in Lagos, from where he started his career. They see him as a Tinubu Boy. They argue that they can still accommodate Ladi who they say is an Ogun indigene. Their argument is that Yes, an Iperu man has been governor for 8 years, they don’t mind to have another Remo man to take over since they know his pedigree.
And their view is that all the empowerment Yayi has been doing is to enable him warm his way into Ogun State. They add that the fact that Yayi is not from Ogun State is what necessitates his going to the extra mile to overwhelm the grassroot with empowerments.
City People gathered that given his recent moves, Ladi has made great inroads into Ogun Central. He has picked his running mate from there. His running mate is Alhaja Lateefat Sowunmi-Kolapo who is from Ijemo, the community of her birth and Iyabo Obasanjo is the senatorial candidate for Ogun Central.
The last time, he visited Alake, the Kabiyeesi accorded him a warm welcome. Not only that Ladi holds a reverred Egba title, Lisa Aje of Egbaland. He is also the Otunba Tunwase of Egbaland.
Chief Kesington Adebutu, his father, his father, is also a very prominent Egba Chief. He is the Baba Oba of Egbaland, one of the highest chieftaincy titles in Egbaland. He is a Senior member of the Egba Traditional council and an Adviser to the Alake.
He is also a major Philantropist in Abeokuta. He has built schools, hospitals, churches, and markets across Egbaland.
All these moves have unsettled the Yayi Camp. Initially they thought Ladi’s Iperu ancestry will count against him this time around, but it is not.
He has been able to wriggle out of the bind. One strategy Ladi adopted is that he has played up his Odogbolu pedigree, which is his mum’s hometown. He came out of there the last time.
Ladi’s calculation is simple. He believes he is strong in Ogun East.
At the last election he made a great showing. Till today, many believe he won the 2023 governorship election. He believes he can lock down the Remo/Ijebu axis like he did the last time.
He has also reached out to a few aggrieved politicians in Ogun West through who he intends to garner some votes.
And he feels with Iyabo Obasanjo and his running mate he can defeat Yayi.
Yayi is also not relenting. He believes he is more popular than Ladi.
In fact, he believes that Ladi is no match for him. He believes Ladi can’t defeat him in Ogun West, his base. He himself has made great inroads into Ogun East. His running mate is from Ososa. She is the daughter of Fototek Founder, Alhaji Adegunwa. Her husband is a well known Ogun politician.
He also calculates that the current governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun who is contesting for Ogun East senatorial seat will enhance his chances in that zone.
He is also banking on Senator OGD. He recently visited the OGD group in Sagamu to canvass for support. Yayi has also met members of the Ijebu Traditional Council led by the Orimolusi of Ijebu-Igbo. During the visit, it was revealed that the late Awujale had annointed Yayi.
Both Yayi and Ladi have been going round the state to touch base with influential stakeholders.
