Ogun 2027: Adeola Presents Nine-Pillar ITESIWAJU Blueprint, Pledges Development Continuity …urges governorship candidates to make election a contest of ideas

ABEOKUTA — The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Ogun State, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, YAYI, CON, FCA, has presented a nine-pillar development blueprint for the state, outlining his proposed priorities in infrastructure, education, security, healthcare, agriculture, job creation, industrialisation and other critical sectors.

Adeola unveiled the programme, christened “ITESIWAJU for Ogun State,” during an engagement with the leadership and members of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in Abeokuta on Monday.

The Senator, who represents Ogun West Senatorial District in the National Assembly, said the blueprint was developed over a period of about three years following consultations with residents and stakeholders across the state.

At the heart of his presentation was a commitment to continuity in governance. Adeola said an administration under his leadership would assess ongoing projects on their merits and sustain viable initiatives inherited from the government of Governor Dapo Abiodun rather than discontinue them simply because they originated under a previous administration.

He cited Lagos State’s development trajectory since 1999 to illustrate his argument that successive governments can accelerate development when they consolidate on useful policies, infrastructure and reforms inherited from their predecessors.

According to Adeola, Ogun State stands to benefit from a similar approach, particularly as it seeks to expand infrastructure, attract investment, create employment and strengthen its position as an industrial and economic hub.

He maintained that public projects should ultimately be judged by the value they deliver to residents rather than by the administration responsible for initiating them.

Adeola also challenged candidates contesting the 2027 governorship election to place their programmes before the electorate and make the campaign a debate about competing ideas for the future of Ogun State.

He said discussions ahead of the election should focus on specific proposals for infrastructure, youth development, women empowerment, education, agriculture, security, industrialisation, employment and economic expansion.

“People must be able to know what your plans are for the youth, the economy, women, industrialisation, infrastructure, contractors and agriculture. Where are you taking us to? People should judge us on those issues,” Adeola said.

Nine Pillars of ITESIWAJU

Explaining the philosophy behind the blueprint, Adeola said ITESIWAJU, a Yoruba word for progress, represents his proposed framework for advancing development across Ogun State.

The nine pillars are:

I — Infrastructure Development
T — Tourism and Creative Arts
E — Education and Human Capital Development
S — Security and Law Enforcement
I — Inclusive Health and Wellbeing
W — Women and Youth Empowerment, Sports Development and Poverty Alleviation
A — Agricultural Transformation
J — Job Creation and Industrialisation
U — Urban Renewal, Environmental Sustainability and Physical Planning

Adeola described the document as more than an election manifesto, saying it was deliberately developed to respond to needs identified through consultations across the state.

“This is not a document put together for the sake of putting a document together. It is not a document put together for the sake of grabbing power,” he said.

He added that the framework was prepared with a clear sense of purpose and designed to provide a roadmap for addressing development priorities across communities and sectors.

The APC candidate said Ogun possesses the human capital, industrial base, geographical advantages and economic potential required to deepen development, adding that his proposed administration would seek to harness those strengths.

On the controversy surrounding his ancestral background, Adeola dismissed the issue as politically motivated and said he would remain focused on presenting his plans for the state.

He also stated that appointments under a government led by him would be based on qualification and capacity to contribute to the administration.

Earlier, Ogun State IPAC Chairman, Comrade Abayomi Sanyaolu, called for restraint and issue-based engagement among candidates ahead of the election.

Sanyaolu urged political actors to avoid vulgar language and personal attacks and instead present their manifestos and programmes to residents for scrutiny.

He also acknowledged projects and interventions associated with Adeola across the three senatorial districts of Ogun State.

The engagement provided Adeola an opportunity to formally place the ITESIWAJU Agenda before representatives of political parties as campaigning ahead of the 2027 Ogun State governorship election increasingly shifts towards candidates’ proposed programmes and policy priorities.