2027: Abiodun Undeterred By Unfounded Skepticism

Femi Ogbonnikan

​Public awareness is the bedrock of accountability in an evolving democracy like Nigeria. In Ogun State, home to a particularly enlightened citizenry, there is no shortage of critics keeping a watchful eye on state activities. By exercising their democratic rights, these citizens engage in robust debate over government policies and the actions—or inactions—of those in power. When conducted responsibly, this level of engagement serves as a powerful catalyst for good governance and improved service delivery.​​However, our political landscape is also increasingly populated by rabble-rousers masquerading as public affairs commentators. These individuals often bypass constructive critique in favour of unfair hostility, leveling unfounded allegations that fuel misinformation. Unlike the genuine critic who seeks to build, the rabble-rouser seeks to trend, prioritizing sensationalism over the sanctity of facts.​​This trend is not merely a nuisance; it is a systemic threat. Unfounded public skepticism acts as a slow-acting poison within the body politics. It doesn’t just stall progress; it dissolves the trust necessary for a functional society. By breeding unnecessary suspicion and fueling hostility, these bad-faith narratives deplete our essential social capital—the very glue that allows a government and its people to work towards a common goal.​When skepticism becomes reflexive rather than reasoned, the casualty is not just the government’s reputation, but the state’s collective development. In an era where fake news travels faster than the truth, protecting the integrity of our public discourse is as important as building the infrastructure we debate about.The desperation with which Governor Dapo Abiodun’s adversaries are now pursuing their 2027 ambitions is of particular concern. As the new election cycle reaches a fever pitch, the opposition has shifted from traditional power politics to a more insidious strategy: using fifth columnists to launch direct, incisive, and often dishonest attacks on the administration’s performance. These are not critiques born of a desire for better governance; they are calculated character assassinations designed to prioritize personal ambition over the stability and progress of Ogun State.These paid mouthpieces pretend to speak for the people, but their scripts are written in the dark rooms of political rivals. Ogun deserves a discourse that builds up, not filth that tears down.The essence of this piece is to highlight a few tangible achievements of the Abiodun administration as against destructive write-ups by these hired columnists and the disparaging comments of paid social media influencers. While these hired pens work to deplete our social capital, the ISEYA mantra continues to yield tangible dividends that no amount of misinformation can erase.​To counter the filth with facts, one only needs to look at the landscape of modern Ogun: ​Infrastructure wise, over 1,500 kilometers of roads have been constructed or rehabilitated, including the world-class Ijebu-Ode–Epe Expressway and the Sagamu–Siun–Abeokuta Road, transforming the state into a logistics powerhouse.​The Gateway International Airport, a legacy project near the Sagamu Interchange, is already redefining regional trade, creating over 25,000 direct and indirect jobs.​Under this administration, Ogun’s economy has quadrupled, jumping from ₦3.5 trillion to ₦17 trillion, with Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) soaring to ₦250 billion, annually.​The renovation of over 1,000 Yellow Roof classrooms across all the 236 wards and the completion of the 250-bed Medical Centre of Excellence stand as undeniable pillars of social welfare.The people of Ogun State are too enlightened to be led astray by those who prioritize 2027 ambitions over 2026 progress. Let us judge the administration not by the filth of the columnists, but by the concrete, the clinics, and the classrooms that now define the Gateway State.It was in recognition of his sterling performance that leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Remo and Ijebu Divisions of Ogun East Senatorial District recently and unanimously endorsed Governor Abiodun, as their preferred candidate for the Senate in the 2027 general elections.In particular, the endorsement was made during a well-attended meeting of party leaders on Tuesday, where stakeholders across the division urged the governor to contest the Ogun East Senatorial seat.Moving the motion, Chief Muri Awolaja, an apex leader of the party from Sagamu Local Government Area, described Abiodun as an achiever and a true son of Remoland and Ogun East, noting that he is eminently qualified to represent the district at the National Assembly. The motion was seconded by a former Chairman of Remo North Local Government Area, Dapo Odunsi.

Speaking in support, council chairmen in the zone-Hon. Muyiwa Sodade of Remo North and Hon. Jamiu Asimi of Ikenne Local Government-called on the governor to heed the call of the people.

“We are at the grassroots and we can confidently say that the good people of Remoland and indeed Ogun East are waiting for you to represent them in the Senate from 2027. This is our way of appreciating the remarkable work you have done as governor,” Asimi said.

The formal endorsement was subsequently announced by a member of the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC), Chief Kola Ogunjobi, in the presence of prominent APC leaders, including the Ogun East APC Chairman, Chief Adeleke Adedoyin; apex leader, Otunba Dapo Osho; Hon. Sikiru Awosipe; Commissioner for Environment, Hon. Ola Oresanya; Special Adviser on Women Affairs, Mrs Ayotunde Lawal; SUBEB Chairman, Hon. Olalekan Ifede; Special Adviser on Political Matters, Apagun Biyi Adeleye; Hon. Koye Ijaduoye; Hon. Ganiu Odufuwa (OGO); Hon. Segun Ogunleye; Muda Odukale; and the Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications, Otunba ’Dare Odufowokan, among others.

Ogunjobi said the leaders reached the decision after extensive deliberations on the state of the party and a careful appraisal of the Abiodun administration.“Governor Dapo Abiodun’s performance in governance and development has exceeded expectations. His achievements across infrastructure, education, security, housing, industry, investment and social welfare make him the ideal candidate to represent Ogun East in the Senate,” he said.Stakeholders say Remo Division is proud of Abiodun’s achievements and resolved to spearhead the push for his emergence as APC candidate for the Ogun East Senatorial District in 2027.It is worth noting that economic drive of Governor Abiodun aligns with audacious reform policies of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.Prince Abiodun, in a recent public statement, praised the economic reforms, describing them as bold decisions that rescued Nigeria from economic collapse and set the nation on the path of sustainable growth.Abiodun spoke at the Expanded Stakeholders Strategic Meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) held in Abeokuta, where party leaders across the state unanimously endorsed President Tinubu for another term in office.Commending the president’s leadership, the governor said Tinubu had demonstrated courage and clarity by confronting long-standing economic distortions, particularly the removal of fuel and foreign exchange subsidies.

“At a time when the economy had severely nosedived, our president rose with courage, conviction and clarity to take hard but necessary decisions aimed at repositioning Nigeria for sustainable development.“Many of us thought fuel subsidy was the worst burden, but in reality, the foreign exchange subsidy-the multiple exchange rate system-was the bigger monster. On May 29, 2023, Mr President removed both, and that marked the beginning of genuine reforms,” he said.With excitement, Abiodun noted that the impact of the reforms had begun to yield positive results, citing improved fuel availability, declining inflation, a stabilising naira, renewed investor confidence and foreign reserves now standing at about $45 billion as evidence of improvement of the economy.He also highlighted major infrastructure projects initiated by the president, including the 700-kilometre coastal highway and the 1,000-kilometre Sokoto–Badagry superhighway, noting that Nigeria is once again attracting investors.“Foreign flights are now full of investors coming into the country. In Ogun State today, you cannot move 100 metres without seeing a new factory,” he said, adding that the World Bank recently rated Nigeria as a benchmark for economic recovery.Governor Abiodun expressed satisfaction with the turnout at the strategy meeting, describing it as a demonstration of the APC’s strength, cohesion and relevance.“The strength of the APC has always been anchored on unity and fairness. A united APC is an unbeatable APC,” he said, urging leaders to continue closing ranks.Reflecting on his administration’s achievements, Abiodun listed major strides in infrastructure, including housing, healthcare, job creation, youth and women empowerment, noting that over 7,000 housing units and several primary healthcare centres had been delivered across the state.“Only yesterday, NNPCL commenced commercial oil drilling in Ogun Waterside. Our GDP now stands at ₦17 trillion. These achievements are not accidental; they are products of careful planning and vision,” he said.He added that Ogun State now ranked among Nigeria’s top-performing states and is often compared only with Lagos in terms of economic growth and development.“There is nothing I have asked of Mr President for Ogun State that he has not approved,” he said, disclosing that plans are underway to establish the largest dairy and cattle ranch in Ipokia and Yewa South Local Government Areas respectively through federal support.Abiodun Described the endorsement of Tinubu as both strategic and deserving, stating that extending the president’s mandate would allow ongoing reforms to be consolidated and sustained through 2031.The meeting was attended by serving and former senators, members of the House of Representatives, the Ogun State Executive Council, party leaders from the National Working Committee, council chairmen, ward executives, former commissioners, liaison officers and other APC stalwarts across the state.

*Ogbonnikan is a Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Ogun State Governor on Media