Not fewer than 11 socio-political groups on Tuesday in Abeokuta expressed support for the second-term bid of President Bola Tinubu and the 2027 Ogun State governorship ambition of former Nigeria Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Sarafa Tunji Ishola.
The groups described Tinubu as a courageous leader committed to repositioning the country, adding that he deserved another four-year term. They also described Ishola, a former Minister of Mines and Steel Development and former Secretary to the Ogun State Government (2003–2007), as a proactive and experienced politician whose leadership style is centred on service.
The groups made their position known at a stakeholders’ engagement held in Abeokuta on Tuesday.
Speaking at the programme, the spokesperson for Good Governance Advocate, Olawale Durojaiye, said, “We believe that Ambassador Sarafa Tunji Ishola is not only God-fearing but also a well-grounded and experienced politician.
“He was once Chairman of Abeokuta Local Government; he had served as a Minister and Secretary to the state government. He is the immediate past Nigeria Ambassador to the United Kingdom.
“He no doubt possesses all that will make our dear state great and that is why we are saying that he should be the next governor of the state.
“And similarly, we are all living witnesses to what President Bola Tinubu is doing to resuscitate the country’s economy with lots of infrastructural development across the country.
“So, like other progressive Nigerians, we believe that President Tinubu should be supported to be re-elected for another term of four years come 2027.”
Also speaking, the Coordinator of Ogun Central Group, Akeem Ademolake, called for support for Tinubu’s re-election and Ishola’s governorship ambition.
Ademolake said, “The truth is that we have a good leader, a leader with listening ears in Amb. Sarafa Tunji Ishola. He is not strange to good governance, and he has the capacity to do it again.
“It is against this background that we are all asking for the support of the people of Ogun State to ensure that Amb. Sarafa Ishola is supported to be the next governor of the state.
“President Bola Tinubu has also done fantastically well to recalibrate the economy and give us renewed hope that better days are ahead, so for the country to continue on this path of unprecedented economic turnaround, then we must support the re-election bid of President Tinubu.”
An APC chieftain and former Chairman of the PDP in the state, Chief Joju Fadairo, also rallied support for Ishola’s governorship ambition, describing him as a politician with uncommon love for the people.
Fadairo, who is also the Coordinator of Ishola’s governorship campaign, said he had informed eminent personalities in the state, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, about the ambition.
He added that the growing number of support groups across the state reflected the widespread acceptance of the former envoy.
Fadairo urged the groups to unite and sustain mobilisation for Ishola’s governorship bid and Tinubu’s second-term ambition.
Speaking at the event, Ishola said his priority was to promote political harmony in the state, noting that divisions among political actors were hindering development.
“Let me be clear: we are not here for a governorship declaration. Declarations are not made in halls. When the time comes, it will be done appropriately. What we are here to do is harmonisation and endorsement; declaration will come at the right time.
“We are too politically divided, and we always have hostile succession. From one administration to another, it has always been a tug of war. Are we going to continue like this?
“My concern is to stop hostile succession in Ogun State so that we can all come together for Ogun to realise its potential, and I am still pursuing that course till date,” he said.
He added that his experience in public service had prepared him for higher responsibilities and reaffirmed his commitment to the development of the state.
Ishola also expressed support for Tinubu’s re-election, saying, “Before I conclude, let me say this: today in Nigeria, we have a President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu. During my time in the UK, I was among those who actively promoted the government’s key policies to British investors.
“I am pleased that the efforts we made between June and October are beginning to yield results. And with lots of courageous steps that the President has taken, which are already impacting the country’s progress and rapid economic recovery, we shall be doing the country and ourselves a lot of good by returning Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for another term in 2027.”
