There is an uneasy calm within the Ogun State chapter of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)—a classic case of still waters run deep. The Abiodun administration’s succession plan has become a high-stakes chess match where the silence of key players speaks louder than the rhetoric of agitators. The Ogun West factor remains the elephant in the room, with Yewa-Awori groups pushing aggressively for a zoned ticket. While the Governor, Prince Abiodun’s silence fuels speculation and keeps his lieutenants anxious, second-tier aspirants and interest groups are increasingly vocal, testing the waters of zonal representation.
Nonetheless, the political leadership in Ogun West is firm in its quest for a power shift, signaling a departure from the fragmented approaches of the past. At the centre of this dynamic is Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (aka Yayi). His massive “West-to-West” movement and recent public endorsements—including from the Forum of Traditional Rulers—suggest that Ogun West is consolidating its resources behind a single, high-capacity candidate early. This unity significantly reduces the ability of outside power brokers to employ divide-and-rule strategies.
By publicly insisting on Ogun West’s turn, Yewa/Awori leaders are signaling that they will only negotiate from a position of total regional unity. This is the checkmate move many expected. By bringing the Yewa Traditional Council and the Awori Obas together to build consensus, they have effectively shifted the conversation from who will represent the West to how to achieve statewide acceptability.
