There is confusion in Ogun State following the planned ‘relocation’ of Senator Olamilekan Adeola of Lagos West to Ogun West as the 2023 elections draw closer.
The Lagos Senator was in Ilaro, Yewa South Local Government Area of Ogun State on Wednesday, to declare that he would be returning to the Senate, this time, to represent Ogun West; a move many have described as an “aberration”.
By 2023, Adeola, who is in the Senate for a second term, would have completed 20 years as an elected lawmaker in Lagos State.
Senator Olamilekan Adeola, addressed as Yayi, has spent eight years as a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, representing Alimosho State Constituency 2, from 2003 to 2011.
From 2011 to 2015, he was a member of the House of Representatives, where he represented the Alimosho Federal Constituency: and he has been in the red chamber since 2015
As his second term in the Senate draws to an end, the Senator is reported to b planning to ‘port’ from Lagos to Ogun to continue his purported ‘sit-tight disposition’ at the National Assembly.
While in Ilaro for his declaration, the sitting Lagos Senator said he had transferred his Permanent Voter’s Card from Lagos to Ogun, adding that he has also registered as a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Gateway State.
Before now, there had been controversies over Adeola’s origin as many doubt his claims of being an indigene of Yewa in Ogun.
In 2015, he made an attempt to become the Senator of Ogun West but this was unsuccessful; making him relocate to Lagos West for the senatorial ticket.
In the build-up to the 2019 elections, Yayi returned for a governorship ambition in Ogun State, winning more supporters.
However, his aspiration to ‘jump’ from Lagos and become the governor of Ogun State in 2019 was foiled by the immediate past Governor Ibikunle Amosun, who was not convinced that Adeola was an indigene of Ogun State as being claimed.
Our correspondent reports that the Senator’s real state of origin remains a subject of controversy despite all efforts to convince Ogun residents that he is from Pahayi in Ilaro.
With Governor Dapo Abiodun at the saddle, Adeola and his followers are of the belief that the coast is getting clearer for the actualisation of his much-coveted ambition.
The Accountant turned politician, Daily Post gathered, has a game plan to become the governor of Ogun State in 2027, thinking Gov Abiodun would return for a second term.
Adeola’s ambition tears Abiodun’s camp apart
At the moment, the ambition of Adeola has put Abiodun’s APC camp in disarray as loyalists face-off over Ogun West’s senatorial ticket.
Presently, a three-time governorship aspirant, Gboyega Isiaka, who is currently an appointee of Abiodun is also interested in running the senatorial race.
Also, a three-time former House of Representatives and Federal Character Commissioner, Abiodun Akinlade, is also interested in taking over from the incumbent Senator Tolu Odebiyi, who is presently in the Amosun camp.
However, it appears Abiodun might support the Lagosian, leaving the home-based Isiaka and Akinlade in the cold.
To avoid this, loyalists of the two grassroots politicians are leaving no stone unturned to stop Abiodun from pitching tents with Yayi, saying they could not afford to have a ‘foreigner’ as their senator.
Abiodun allegedly indecisive over Isiaka, Adeola
Abiodun is currently in dilemma over who to support between Isiaka and the Lagos politician.
To him, Adeola owns the political structure that won him the 2019 governorship election.
On the other hand, Abiodun sees Isiaka as being instrumental to his victory in the poll because his insistence not to step down for Adekunle Akinlade of the Allied Peoples Movement dashed the hope of Ogun West to produce the governor of the state for the first time.
“The governor is confused, he doesn’t know who to support between GNI and Yayi. They all supported him in the last election and he doesn’t want to offend any of them. Maybe all of them will go for primary and whoever wins gets the ticket,” an APC leader said.
Ogun West leaders warn Tinubu over the imposition of Adeola
Meanwhile, some leaders of the APC in Ogun West have asked the national leader of the party, Bola Tinubu, not to impose Adeola on them.
Speaking on behalf of the party leaders in Ogun West, Chief Sikiru Adegbite, described as unthinkable, the fact that Adeola, who started his political career in 1999 in Lagos is allegedly being pushed by Tinubu to become a senator in Ogun West.
They said there would be a serious crisis in the APC if Adeola moves over to Ogun State, claiming that there was no evidence that the Senator hails from Yewa.
“The people of Yewa consider it an insult that a non-indigene will be imposed on them by the party’s leadership, when there are bonafide and loyal party members in Yewa,” Adegbite was quoted as saying.
