Femi Ogbonnikan

The high-stakes victory recorded by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the recent by-election in Sagamj/Ikenne/Remo North Federal Constituency of Ogun State underscores the importance of grassroots connection. As political players often say, politics is local. You cannot build something on nothing.
You have to be appreciated as a good leader at home before you can be appreciated outside. At any level of governance, a leader’s fate is tied directly to his performance. When a leader performs well in service delivery, he builds political capital. This is a form of trust and goodwill that can be invested in future political endeavours. Doing well goes beyond simply delivering on campaign promises. It encompasses a range of factors that earn public appreciation. This includes the delivery of key infrastructure projects, improved public services, and economic stability. When people can see and feel the positive impact of a leader’s work in their daily lives, they are more likely to express appreciation at the ballot box.
Conversely, when a leader fails them, the public’s response is often swift and severe. This can lead to a loss of public trust, widespread discontent, and electoral defeat.
The overwhelming victory recorded by the APC in the Sagamu/Ikenne/Remo North Federal Constituency bye-election is an expression of people’s appreciation of infrastructure transformation of the region. Beyond its excitement, the outcome of the election is widely regarded as a confirmation of Governor Dapo Abiodun’s political popularity and his strong grassroots support in his home region. This isn’t just a narrow victory but a dominant display of political control that leaves little doubt about the public’s sentiment towards the administration in that region.
The result of the bye-election confirms how critical performance is for a political leader’s relevance. A loss would have had catastrophic political ramifications for the Governor, as it would have undermined his political relevance at the core. A defeat in his home constituency-the very place he is expected to have the most influence—would have sent a powerful signal that he is not at home with his people. In Nigerian politics, a leader who cannot deliver his or her home front is seen as politically weak and a liability. Such a loss would have been a major political embarrassment and a personal blow to his credibility.
Within the APC, a loss in his backyard would have significantly weakened Prince Abiodun’s position as the state’s political leader. Factions within the party who have been critical of his leadership would have been empowered. This would have made it incredibly difficult for him to manage the upcoming governorship succession process and other party affairs, as his authority to build a consensus would have been severely eroded.
A victory for the opposition, particularly in the governor’s home constituency, would have provided them with a powerful narrative to use against the administration. They would have argued that the people have rejected the governor’s leadership, his policies, and his performance. This would have given the opposition a massive boost in morale and a strong platform to launch a more aggressive campaign against the administration in the future.
Being the first major electoral contest since his re-election, the bye-election was seen as a direct test of his popularity in his backyard. And as it turned out, the result serves as a public validation of his leadership and a stamp of approval for his administration’s performance in a region that is a political priority for him. The resounding victory recorded by the APC candidate, Princess Adesola Elegbeji, has solidified the Governor’s position, validated his leadership, and given him the political capital he needs to manage the complex power dynamics of the state’s future. The outcome shows that he is well at home with his people in Remoland. 
The ability to secure a commanding victory for the party shows that he has the political weight to deliver a decisive win in his home constituency, which is a key indicator of his overall political strength in the state. The victory does not only validate his popularity in his backyard, it is also an expression of people’s appreciation of his performance, particularly his delivery of key infrastructure projects.
During the campaign for the bye-election, Governor Abiodun’s administration and his supporters consistently highlighted his infrastructural achievements in the Sagamu/Ikenne/Remo North Federal Constituency. The Governor himself, in a statement after the victory, explicitly attributed the win to the transformative governance of his administration and its massive infrastructural development.
His confidence in citing infrastructure development as the main reason for the victory derives from that fact that the Sagamu/Ikenne/Remo North Federal Constituency is the site of some of his legacy projects, including the Gateway International Airport, the proposed largest cotton industry in West Africa sub region as well as Dangote NLG Company at Olokoola, Ogun Waterside Local Government.
Situated within the Remo axis, the Cargo Airport is expected to significantly boost the state’s economy. Interestingly, the election victory coincided with the official approval for the airport to commence commercial operations, further cementing the link between the project and the win.
Apart from the airport, the construction and rehabilitation of several key roads, such as the Sagamu-Interchange to Abeokuta road, have also been widely praised by traditional rulers and community members for their positive impact on economic activities and the daily lives of residents, thus enhancing the basic social capital that was needed to secure the mandate of the people.
In many occasions, local monarchs and community leaders in the region have publicly applauded the Governor for his development efforts. The Ologere of Ogere-Remo, Oba James Obafemi Saliu, for instance, has commended the governor for ensuring equitable distribution of developmental projects across the state and specifically thanked him for the reconstruction of roads that have boosted local commerce.
In a broader sense, the bye-election victory for Elegbeji is not merely a win for the party; it is a powerful mandate for the governor’s development agenda. It shows that the public, in his home constituency, has noticed and is rewarding his administration’s focus on tangible projects that directly benefit their communities. The election serves as a crucial confirmation that the political investment in infrastructure has translated into political capital for Governor Abiodun.
The victory in the Sagamu/Ikenne/Remo North Federal Constituency bye-election has provided Governor Abiodun with a significant springboard for his future political engagements. The win is far more than a simple electoral success; it is a source of new political capital that he can leverage in several key areas. As earlier mentioned, the bye-election was a crucial test of the governor’s influence over the party’s structure. With the positive outcome, the decisive victory in his home region has sent a clear message to all factions within the Ogun State APC that he remains the undisputed leader. This solidified control is a powerful tool he can use to manage internal party affairs, including the delicate issue of governorship succession, and ensure that good candidates emerge in future elections.
Beyond his Remo constituent, the outcome of the election is a further boost to his national political relevance. By delivering a convincing victory in the bye-election in the face of a fierce opposition, he has gained a higher political stature on the national stage. The outcome demonstrates his ability to mobilize his base and deliver results, which makes him a more valuable asset to the national leadership of the APC. This can translate into a more prominent role for him in national party discussions and a greater say in federal appointments and policies.
As Governor Abiodun’s second term winds down, his political influence will be crucial in determining who succeeds him. The bye-election victory provides him with the political momentum and credibility to advocate for his preferred candidate. He can now use this victory to negotiate and moderate the power dynamics among the state’s senatorial districts, particularly with the ongoing clamour for a power-shift to Ogun West.
Beyond party politics, the win is a massive endorsement of the Governor’s performance and his administration’s “Building Our Future Together” agenda. The public’s appreciation for projects gives him a strong mandate to accelerate the pace of development. This allows him to build a legacy that will be a key part of his future political identity, whether he pursues a Senate seat or a higher federal appointment.
Since the beginning of his first term in 2019, Governor Dapo Abiodun has made infrastructure development a central priority of his administration, and a review of his projects shows a conscious effort to distribute them across the three senatorial districts of the state.
This is a deliberate political strategy to foster a sense of belonging. In his Ogun East Senatorial District, notable among the administration’s key infrastructure projects are the Sagamu-Interchange-Abeokuta
Road, the Ijebu-Ode-Epe Expressway, and the Gateway International Airport. While the Sagamu-Interchange-Abeokuta dual carriage way connects the state capital with the major Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, significantly reducing travel time, the Ijebu-Ode-Epe Expressway has opened up the Ogun East corridor, linking it directly to the commercial hub of Lagos and boosting economic activities.
The Gateway International Airport is a flagship project located in the Remo area. It is envisioned as a major cargo and logistics hub that will transform the state’s economy. Other infrastructures include a 15-kilometre Sagamu-Iperu-Ode-Sapaade Road, which serves as an arterial route and a bypass to the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Sagamu-Ayepe Road, which is under construction and the Akaka-Ilara-Ilisan Road, a 12-kilometer road for which the contract has been awarded, with work expected to commence soon.
For Ijebu Zone, some road infrastructure projects which have been delivered include Ijebu-Ode-Epe Expressway, serving as a vital link between Ogun State and the Lekki-Epe corridor of Lagos State, facilitating economic activities, Awokoya, Igbeba-Yidi Road, reconstructed with modern drainage to address perennial flooding issues,
Ijebu-Ode-Mojoda-Epe Road, a strategic federal road reconstructed by the state government to boost commerce and reduce travel time. Odolewu-Ladeshi-Ishiwo Road and Igbeba-Yidi Roads in Ijebu-Ode, Akaka-Ilara-Ilisan Road which has been approved for construction further added to the list.
In Ogun Central Senatorial District, Panseke-Adigbe and other roads within the Abeokuta metropolis have been reconstructed as part of the administration’s urban renewal efforts. So also the Abeokuta-Siun-Kobape Road which is a key arterial road that has been reconstructed to improve connectivity within the central senatorial district. Additionally, the administration has delivered several housing projects in this district, including the Prince Court Estates in Kobape and Kemta, Idi-Aba, which are part of a broader plan to address the housing deficit.
Ogun West Senatorial District is not left out in the distribution of key infrastructure projects. Most significant among these is Atan-Lusada-Agbara Road, which is a critical artery leading to one of the largest industrial hubs in West Africa. The dualization of this road, which was in a dilapidated state, has been a major achievement of the administration in this region.
Ilaro-Owode Road has also been reconstructed, improving connectivity and making it easier for farmers to transport their produce to markets.
In addition to all these, the government has also approved the reconstruction of a couple of roads in Akute, Sango, and Ojodu-Abiodun, which serve as crucial links to Lagos.
It was in appreciation of this sterling performance that the electorates in Sagamu/Ikenne/Remo North Federal Constituency voted overwhelmingly for the candidate of the APC in the recent bye-election. Accordingly, the win has provided the Governor with the political oxygen he needs to push his agenda forward. It has validated his leadership, strengthened his hand within the party, and given him a solid foundation from which to influence the future political landscape of Ogun State.
By consolidating that gains of his infrastructure projects, he can also leverage the victory as a springboard for the advancement of his future political engagements.

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

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