By James Ogunnaike, Abeokuta

The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Ogun State, Senator Solomon Adeola, has commended the Olota of Ota, Oba Abdulkabir Adeyemi Obalanlege, and other Awori traditional rulers for supporting the agitation for Ogun West to produce the next governor of the state in 2027.

Adeola, who represents Ogun West in the Senate and chairs the Senate Committee on Appropriations, said the position of the monarchs reflected the aspirations of people in the senatorial district for equity, justice and fairness, 50 years after the creation of Ogun State.

Adeola, who made the remarks in a statement issued by his Media Adviser, Chief Kayode Odunaro, was reacting to a recent consultative visit by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu, to the Olota of Ota and other Awori traditional rulers.

At the meeting, the monarchs reiterated their position that Ogun West should produce the next governor of the state in the interest of equity and political balance.

Since the creation of Ogun State in 1976, Ogun West has remained the only one of the three senatorial districts yet to produce an elected governor.

Adeola described the position of the Awori monarchs as principled, saying it transcended partisan politics and reflected a broader demand for fairness in the distribution of political leadership across the state.

He said: “I am delighted and profoundly grateful to His Royal Majesty, Oba Adeyemi, and all members of the Awori Traditional Council for standing for the principle of equity, fair play and dignity of all sons and daughters of Ogun State.

“I admire the Olota of Ota for his regal, firm and polite delivery of the resolute position of the royalty and people of Ogun West to redress what is an injustice to the people of Ogun West in over 50 years of the state’s existence.”

According to Adeola, the position of the Awori traditional rulers was not merely an individual conviction, but was strengthened by consultations with traditional institutions across the state.

He said consultations with traditional councils in Ijebu, Remo and Egba had further reinforced the argument that the governorship should shift to the Yewa-Awori axis of Ogun West in 2027.

The senator described the emerging consensus as significant to the political history of Ogun State, particularly with traditional rulers and stakeholders in Ogun West increasingly united behind the demand for the district to produce the next governor.

He said: “For the first time in the history of Ogun State, the people of Ogun West and their royalties are united and agreed on their support for me to be governor of Ogun State under the banner of the ruling APC, on the basis of equity, justice and fair play, as well as proven competence to deliver good governance for the people of Ogun State.

“I want to truly appreciate our royal fathers and the people of Ogun State across the three senatorial districts for taking a principled stand in the interest of the holistic and sustainable development of our dear state. I will not take the trust and confidence reposed in me for granted.”

Adeola also expressed appreciation for what he described as growing support for his candidacy beyond Ogun West, stressing that the 2027 governorship project should be viewed as an effort to promote unity, equity and balanced development across the state.

The Ogun West governorship question has increasingly assumed prominence ahead of the 2027 election, with political leaders and traditional rulers from the district maintaining that equity requires the zone to be given the opportunity to produce the next governor.