2027: Ogun people must reject ‘Imported’ Governorship candidates, says PDP Chairman

Michael Olumide Alabi

Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State, Dr. Abayomi Tella, has urged residents to remain vigilant ahead of the 2027 governorship election and reject what he described as the imposition of candidates from outside the state.

Tella said Ogun residents should elect leaders who have deep-rooted connections with the state, understand its history and culture, and are familiar with the developmental challenges confronting its people.

The PDP chairman made the call on Wednesday while speaking during an interview on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, Ogun State.

Tella, while explaining the rationale behind the PDP’s “Ogun for Ogun” campaign slogan, said the initiative was based on the conviction that the state should be governed by individuals who had lived among its people and understood their aspirations.

According to him, effective governance requires leaders who are familiar with the peculiar needs and challenges of the people they seek to govern.

He said, “I’ll just give you a typical example. Dr. Abayomi Tella was born in Agbara, Ogun State, and he lives in this state. He has participated in everything that is done in this state. He knows this state like the back of his hand. Given the opportunity to rule this state, he knows exactly what to do. He knows the people in this state in and out.”

The PDP chairman argued that leaders without strong roots in Ogun State might not demonstrate the same level of commitment to the development of the state, particularly when it comes to the appointment of political office holders and the selection of those who would work with the government.

He said a governor who understands the state and its people would be better positioned to appoint individuals based on competence and the needs of the state rather than personal relationships formed outside Ogun.

“If he’s giving positions, he’s not giving positions to somebody who he’s just giving positions to because he’s his friend from Lagos or from Kano. Ogun State has a lot of potential there and because he knows Ogun State in and out, if you elect him as your governor, he’s going to do justice to everything that Ogun State people need. Unlike when you import candidates to come and govern your state,” he said.

Tella further warned residents against what he described as the practice of presenting political candidates who do not have sufficiently strong connections with the state, urging voters to protect their right to choose leaders who genuinely understand their interests.

Although the PDP chairman did not mention any individual or political party by name, his comments came amid ongoing political debates over the eligibility, political roots and indigeneity of the All Progressives Congress (APC) consensus governorship candidate, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, ahead of the 2027 Ogun State governorship election.
Critics of the senator have questioned his long-standing political involvement in Lagos and his connection to Ogun State, while Adeola and his supporters have consistently maintained that he is a bona fide indigene of Ogun State.

The controversy surrounding his political roots and eligibility has increasingly become part of the wider political conversation ahead of the 2027 election, with supporters and opponents exchanging arguments over identity, ancestry, political belonging and the right of individuals to contest for elective offices.

Former Senator Iyabo Obasanjo has also been among those who have publicly questioned Senator Adeola’s political eligibility and suitability to govern Ogun State.

Before her defection from the ruling APC to the PDP, Obasanjo had criticised Adeola’s emergence in Ogun politics after his long political career in Lagos. During an interview on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, she reportedly questioned what she described as the sudden transplantation of a political structure built in Lagos into Ogun State politics.

Her position has further fuelled the debate over whether political leadership in Ogun should be dominated by established homegrown politicians or opened to candidates with political careers developed outside the state.

However, supporters of Adeola have rejected criticisms of his political roots, insisting that his connection to Ogun is legitimate and that he is qualified to seek the governorship of the state.

Against the backdrop of the unfolding political contest, Tella called on the people of Ogun State to remain politically alert and ensure that they are not deceived or compelled to accept candidates against their wishes.

“I’m only telling you that the people of Ogun State must be alert. They should not allow impostors in their states,” he warned.

The PDP chairman maintained that the people of Ogun State were politically sophisticated and capable of making informed decisions during elections.

He urged voters to carefully examine the backgrounds, records and connections of candidates before casting their ballots in 2027, stressing that the electorate should resist any attempt to impose candidates on them.

Tella also responded to questions surrounding Senator Iyabo Obasanjo’s membership of the PDP and whether her defection complied with the registration requirements of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

He insisted that the party had followed due process and acted in accordance with the provisions of the Electoral Act.

“Everything that is done is perfectly done and is in line with the Electoral Act, perfectly in line with the Electoral Act. Senator Iyabo Obasanjo was a member of this party before the deadline, and she actually resigned from the other party. So there’s no question about that,” he said.

The PDP chairman also addressed the possibility of political alliances and strategic collaborations ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He said the party remained open to working with other political parties where such collaborations would serve its interests, but noted that decisions concerning any national political coalition would be taken by the national leadership of the PDP.

According to him, political parties would continue to assess their options as the 2027 elections draw closer, adding that opposition parties must remain willing to speak truth to power while keeping their options open.

“Whether you like it or not, in this country today, every party will weigh its options. When we get to that bridge, we will cross it. As Nigerians, we must look forward to seeing who our leader will be and as opposition, we must be able to say the truth to power on what is not right,” Tella said.

He added that the possibility of political collaboration could not be ruled out, particularly at the state level, where political parties might decide to work together in pursuit of common objectives.

“That does not change the fact that there could be collaborations in some cases, if necessary. We can decide tomorrow to collaborate with any party, particularly in my own state. But when it comes to the issue of the national, the national side of the party will decide what we all are going to do going forward,” he stated.

The comments come as political activities and alignments begin to intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections, with political parties and aspirants positioning themselves for what is expected to be a closely contested governorship race in Ogun State.

With the “Ogun for Ogun” message, the PDP appears to be placing local identity, familiarity with the state and homegrown leadership at the centre of its campaign narrative, while urging residents to scrutinise the credentials and political backgrounds of all candidates before making their choice at the polls.