Sunday Ehigiator
Community development leaders in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State have highlighted road rehabilitation, electricity infrastructure and solar-powered streetlights as key priorities for their communities, while expressing support for Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola’s governorship aspiration ahead of the 2027 election.
The leaders made their position known during a solidarity walk in Mowe, organised by the Obafemi Owode Strong Alliance (OOSA), in conjunction with the Obafemi Owode Zonal Community Development Committee (OOZCDC), under the theme ‘One Million Support Match for the Winning Team’.
Speaking at the event, Chairman of the Obafemi Owode Local Government Zonal Community Development Committee, Engr. Adeleke Gboyega, said residents were encouraged to support Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, because of what he described as the senator’s contributions to community development.
Adeleke said communities in the area had historically relied on their own resources to provide basic infrastructure, including roads, transformers and health facilities.
He claimed that Adeola, alongside other elected representatives, recently donated N30 million to support community projects, describing the gesture as significant to residents who had been funding development initiatives through local efforts.
According to him, the community had also received assurances concerning the provision of three transformers, the rehabilitation of three major roads and the installation of 50 solar-powered streetlights, the latter to the newly inaugurated Secretariat of the Zonal CDC.
Adeleke said the proposed interventions were important to residents, adding that communities expected elected representatives to respond to their infrastructure needs.
He also identified the proposed second lane of the Mowe-Ofada Road as a project residents were keen to see delivered, corroborating the promise openly announced by Adeola recently.
The community leader expressed confidence that Adeola would honour the commitments, citing what he described as the senator’s record of engagement with residents.
“If Yayi enters and he doesn’t do that road after one month, come and arrest me,” Adeleke said, expressing confidence that the road project would be addressed.
The financial contribution and infrastructure commitments cited by Adeleke could not be independently verified as of the time of filing this report.
The community leader said the rally brought together professionals and residents from different backgrounds, including medical doctors, bankers, engineers and other workers, who wanted to express their support for the senator’s governorship ambition.
He argued that the involvement of community development associations in the political process was informed by residents’ expectations concerning infrastructure and other local needs.
Also speaking at the event, a member of the Ogun State House of Assembly representing Obafemi Owode State Constituency, Hon. Soneye Damilola Kayode, identified road infrastructure as an area that should receive attention under the next Ogun State administration.
Kayode said several communities in the state needed improved roads, urging the next governor to prioritise road construction and rehabilitation.
He added that where full-scale construction could not be undertaken immediately, road grading and other temporary interventions could help ease transportation difficulties.
The lawmaker also identified education as another sector requiring attention.
The rally organiser, Comrade Alhaji Rafiu Oseni, popularly known as Elele, said the event was intended to demonstrate support for Adeola among community groups and APC stakeholders in Obafemi Owode.
Oseni said the initiative brought together community development associations, party leaders, political aspirants and other groups interested in the senator’s governorship ambition.
He explained that the one-million-support target was a mobilisation goal and acknowledged that the exact number of votes the local government would deliver could not be determined in advance.
Oseni said the organisers were working to encourage greater participation among registered voters and had urged residents to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
He also called on residents to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid and other APC candidates in Ogun State.