Ijebus Are Fair People! They Are For Yayi — Chief Femi Odufowokan

Chief Femi Odufowokan, community leader, former Chairman of Ijebu North East Local Government, ex-President of the National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria, NIMN, and Lagos-based legal practitioner, says the people of Ijebu will support Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, “Yayi”, for Governor of Ogun State in 2027.

 

In an interview, Chief Odufowokan hinged his position on fairness, equity and the long-standing unwritten rotation agreement in Ogun State politics.

Introducing himself, Chief Odufowokan said: “My name is Femi Odufowokan. I am a Nigerian from Ogun State, Ijebu in particular. I am a Legal Practitioner, a Chartered Tax Practitioner, Chartered Marketer, Certified Quality Management Professional and a few others.”

On politics, he added: “Politics is not my profession, but one of my hobbies. Politics for me should not be a profession, but what you do as a good citizen by the side. If you are in elective or appointive office you may be full time for the period, but you should have your fall back profession.”

Speaking on the 2027 governorship election, Chief Odufowokan said while candidates have emerged across the three senatorial districts, the race is realistically between the APC and other parties.

“In reality, apart from APC there seems to be no other party in real sense of it. PDP is divided, ADC and others are pseudo political parties. Even PDP, nobody is sure of the faction that will be validated by the highest court. Those running on those platforms are gamblers,” he said.

He noted that both the APC and PDP candidates currently in focus are from Ogun East, the same zone as the outgoing Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun.

“Constitutionally, anyone can run. But there is an unwritten understanding in Ogun State that the Governorship seat rotates among the three Senatorial Districts. Some even talk about the old two divide of Egba and Ijebu. Once a governor completes two terms from one divide, the seat should go to the other divide.

“Looking at the other divide, we have Ogun Central and Ogun West. Ogun Central has had its turn. It is just, fair and equitable for Ogun West that has never occupied the seat to have it. Thankfully, the APC candidate, Senator Solomon Adeola ‘Yayi’ is from Ogun West. That was one of the considerations for his emergence as consensus candidate before his overwhelming victory at the APC primary.”

Chief Odufowokan said Hon. Ladi Adebutu of the PDP is formidable but faces structural challenges.

“The PDP candidate will likely be a blood relative of the incumbent governor. Aside this, he is contesting on a fragile platform. If we look very closely, Yayi is not a newcomer. He has performed creditably well within and outside the Senate. All four divisions of Ogun State can testify to this.

“Have you watched Yayi’s contributions on the floor of the National Assembly? Google it. You will see a man with a clear head and clear heart. Hon. Ladi Adebutu was in the Green Chambers twice. I challenge you to bring out just one of his contributions on the floor, even an ‘I support’.”

On claims that Senator Adeola is not from Yewa, Chief Odufowokan dismissed it as political blackmail.

“That is a campaign blackmail from the opposition. If we cannot defeat him on records of performance and connection with the people, then let us blackmail him. It happened to Chief Segun Osoba, they said he was from Osogbo. To Otunba Gbenga Daniel, they said Delta. To Senator Ibikunle Amosun, they said Kano. All of them won.

“Let us be logical. If Yayi is truly from Ekiti and wants to be governor, where is it easier? Ekiti is 6,353 sqkm with 3.5 million people and culturally homogenous. Ogun is 16,762 sqkm with about 6.4 million people and at least four major ethnic groups. If his ambition is to be governor, he would have gone to Ekiti where it is easier. It is therefore not logical to blackmail him as an Ekiti man.”

Chief Odufowokan said fairness demands that Ogun West produces the next governor.

“It would have been considerate if it was a core Ijebu man contesting against Ogun West. But for someone from Remo, where the incumbent is finishing two terms, to contend with Ogun West is not fair. Fair is fair.

“The PDP candidate himself is trying to say he is running from Odogbolu, one of the core Ijebus. But an average Remo person will tell you they are not Ijebu. When it is the turn of Ijebu, a core Ijebu from the six local governments will be supported by Ijebus.

“Before the demise of our revered monarch, the Awujale Sikiru Adetona, those close to him know he wanted the 2027 governorship seat to go to Yewa, and there was no other person he favoured than Senator Solomon Adeola.

“What we are therefore saying is this: Ijebus are fair people. Ijebus are for Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola. He will be voted for in the 2027 Governorship election in Ogun State to become the next Governor.”