By Kayode Oladele

As Ogun State edges closer to the 2027 governorship election, one name continues to dominate conversations across towns, markets, and political gatherings, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola Yayi. His growing popularity is rooted not only in his political experience but also in his deliberate investments in people, infrastructure, and social safety nets that touch lives directly.

One of Yayi’s most visible interventions in the recent time was the donation of more than 100 transformers to various communities across Ogun State which he also energized for the benefiting communities. For decades, rural towns and peri-urban areas have endured epileptic electricity supply, stifling small businesses and compounding poverty. The transformers have changed this narrative.

In Ogun West, East and Central, for instance, traders and artisans including Community Development Associations testify that the new transformers have cut their reliance on costly generators. To many residents, the transformers represent not just infrastructure but community empowerment: the light that enables their daily hustle. But this is only one strand in a larger web of empowerment programs that define his style of leadership.
Yayi has not stopped at providing transformers. He has backed this with solar-powered streetlights and road rehabilitation, recognizing that infrastructure must come as a package.

From providing transformers for electricity to rehabilitating rural roads, Yayi has consistently linked infrastructure with human development. He understands that economic growth must be people-centered, and he has complemented these projects with scholarships for indigent students, financial support for market women, tools and training for artisans, and health outreach programs for vulnerable groups.

According to political analyst Kehinde Alamu: “What makes Yayi’s empowerment unique is that it is comprehensive. He doesn’t just give electricity; he supports the businesses that thrive because of it. He doesn’t just build roads; he provides micro-grants so traders can transport goods. That’s why his popularity is rising across the state.”

Beyond infrastructure, Yayi has become a strong advocate of social safety nets which not only cushion economic hardship but also reinforce his reputation as a leader who feels the pulse of the people.
“Yayi is not a distant politician,” says Mrs. Modupe Akinrinade, a trader in Sango market. “He comes to the grassroots and provides solutions from electricity to school fees, from healthcare to market grants. That’s why many of us believe he should be governor in 2027.”

While Yayi hails from Ogun West, his political outreach has gone beyond senatorial and political boundaries. He has built alliances in Ogun Central and Ogun East, fostering inclusiveness in a state where zoning often shapes electoral fortunes. His deliberate efforts to unify diverse communities across Ogun State show his readiness to govern the entire state, not just his senatorial district.

As Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations and firm believer in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, Yayi is strategically placed to channel federal resources into Ogun State. His alignment with the Renewed Hope Agenda also means Ogun could witness a fresh wave of federal infrastructure and industrial projects under his stewardship.

Ordinary citizens across Ogun State are already weighing in on the 2027 race, and many point to Yayi’s interventions as evidence of what he could offer as governor.
• “Yayi gave us light when no one remembered us,” says Mr. Kayode Olowu, a welder in Ota. “Now I can work longer hours and earn more money for my family.”
• “My daughter is in university today because of his scholarship,” adds Mrs. Folake Adeyemi, a widow in Ado-Odo. “Without it, she would have dropped out.”
• “He gave me a sewing machine last year,” says Miss Funke Adebanjo, a youth in Ifo. “Now I make clothes for people and train two apprentices.”

These testimonies underscore why Yayi is not seen as just another politician, but as a leader whose programs touch lives in immeasurable ways.

Analysts argue that Yayi’s broad acceptance, coupled with his track record of service, already positions him as the frontrunner. His ability to combine infrastructure with social safety nets, empowerment with inclusivity, makes him uniquely appealing in a state hungry for results-driven leadership.

“Yayi represents a new template for Ogun politics,” concludes Dr. Oyesanya. “He is the politician who lights up communities, empowers youths, and cushions the vulnerable. That is why he is the popular choice for 2027.”

Ultimately, Yayi’s popularity lies in his fusion of infrastructure, empowerment, and social safety nets. By donating transformers, he brought electricity; by providing scholarships, he invested in the future; by giving stipends and grants, he created economic resilience. This holistic approach to leadership resonates across age groups, genders, and social classes.

As Ogun prepares for 2027, there is no question whether Yayi is a popular choice and whether widespread agitation for him to run for the governorship of Ogun State has become a Movement, not a political rhetoric. Across markets, classrooms, town halls and government institutions, that much is clear and that sentiment dominates.

*Oladele writes from Abeokuta.

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