Ogun 2027: You Can’t Defeat APC By Rewriting Yayi’s Ancestry, Oladele Throws Jibe At PDP

ABEOKUTA – A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon. Kayode Oladele, has warned the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 2027 Ogun State governorship election that it cannot defeat Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, by questioning or rewriting his ancestry.

Oladele accused the opposition party of resorting to the ancestry controversy because it had allegedly failed to mount a compelling political challenge to Adeola’s record, experience, capacity and growing acceptance across the state.

He described the controversy as a desperate political diversion and “the last refuge of an opposition that has run out of ideas.”

“You cannot defeat a man’s record by rewriting his ancestry, and you cannot erase performance with propaganda,” Oladele said.

He added: “Questioning Yayi’s ancestry has become a worn-out political cliché and the last refuge of an opposition that has run out of ideas. You cannot defeat a man’s record by rewriting his ancestry, and you cannot erase performance with propaganda.

“If Yayi’s opponents have something better to offer Ogun State, let them put it on the table. However, if their only response to his projects, experience, capacity and growing acceptance is to keep fabricating tales by moonlight regarding his ancestry, then they have already conceded the real argument.”

Oladele maintained that Yayi’s identity and constitutional eligibility were not matters for political opponents to determine, insisting that the senator was qualified to contest the governorship of the state.

“Let me be very clear: Yayi is a Yewa man. Beyond that, he is a Nigerian citizen who is constitutionally qualified to contest the governorship of Ogun State.

“Section 177 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended, sets out the qualifications for election as governor. Ancestral origin from a particular part of a state is not one of them.

“You cannot manufacture an additional constitutional requirement simply because you are afraid of an opponent’s political strength,” he said.

The APC chieftain argued that the 2027 election should be centred on competing records, policies, competence and visions for the future of Ogun State rather than arguments over ancestry.

According to him, Adeola’s campaign is focused on issues such as roads, education, healthcare, empowerment, infrastructure and economic opportunities, while his opponents have allegedly chosen to dwell on his ancestry.

“Yayi is talking about roads, education, healthcare, empowerment, infrastructure and economic opportunities. His opponents are talking about ancestry.

“That contrast is telling: one is presenting what he has done and what he intends to do; the other is gasping for breath and searching for a distraction,” Oladele said.

He argued that the continued focus on Adeola’s ancestry could ultimately backfire on the PDP by drawing greater attention to questions about what the party itself intends to offer the electorate.

“The tragedy for the PDP is that every attempt to reduce this election to Yayi’s ancestry only draws greater attention to the question the PDP desperately wants to avoid: what does the PDP itself bring to the table?

“Ogun people cannot be persuaded by endless fabrication about one candidate’s ancestry when those making the attacks have failed to present a more compelling record or a superior blueprint for the state.”

Oladele stressed that politics should ultimately be about improving the lives of citizens, saying voters were more interested in effective governance and tangible development than family histories.

“Politics must ultimately be about improving people’s lives. A family tree will not repair a road, equip a hospital, educate a child, create employment or put food on anybody’s table.

“The people want to know who has the capacity to deliver. That is the terrain on which this election should be fought,” he said.

The former federal lawmaker challenged the PDP to present its own record and allow the electorate to make a comparison based on performance, competence and vision.

“My challenge to the PDP is simple: bring your record to the table. Let us compare performance with performance, capacity with capacity, projects with projects and vision with vision.

“If you cannot match Yayi on performance, challenge him on competence or offer Ogun people a superior vision, then stop fabricating tales about his ancestry.

“Elections are won by earning the confidence of the people, not by rewriting another man’s family history,” Oladele declared.

He added that the ultimate decision in 2027 would rest with Ogun voters, who, he said, would be more interested in tangible achievements and credible plans for the future.

“Ultimately, in 2027, Ogun people will choose between records, not rumours; between performance and propaganda; and between a vision for the future and tales by moonlight,” Oladele said.