APC Professional Council Hails Senator Yayi’s Urban Renewal, Rural Modernisation Agenda

ABEOKUTA – All Progressives Congress (APC) Professional Council in Ogun State has commended the party’s governorship candidate, Senator Solomon Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, for his visionary approach to rural modernisation and urban development through his proposed New Towns Development Agency.

The Director-General of the council in Ogun State, Dr. Bayo Adenekan, described the proposed agency as a timely and strategic intervention that would address the challenges of unplanned settlements, inadequate infrastructure and uneven development across the state.

Adenekan said the proposal reflected Adeola’s understanding of the need to modernise rural communities, develop new settlements with contemporary infrastructure and preserve the historical and cultural heritage of existing towns.

He said the initiative, if implemented, would provide a structured framework for expanding urban development beyond major cities while ensuring that rural communities benefit from improved infrastructure, economic opportunities and better living conditions.

According to him, the proposed agency demonstrates the APC candidate’s commitment to sustainable development and his recognition that effective urban planning must go hand in hand with rural transformation.

Adenekan’s commendation followed Adeola’s pledge to establish a New Towns Development Authority and revitalise the Ogun State Road Maintenance Agency, Ogun State Environmental Protection Agency and Ogun State Waste Management Agency if elected governor in 2027.

The APC governorship candidate made the promises during an interactive session with Remo Collectives, a socio-cultural organisation of accomplished Remo indigenes, held over the weekend in the presence of the Akarigbo and Paramount Ruler of Remoland, Oba Babatunde Ajayi.

Adeola explained that the proposed authority would be responsible for developing new towns equipped with modern infrastructure, while existing towns and communities would be developed and preserved as historical legacies.

Reacting to the proposal, Adenekan said the distinction between developing new towns and preserving existing communities was particularly commendable, as it would allow Ogun State to accommodate population growth and increasing economic activities without sacrificing its cultural identity.

He noted that a well-structured new-town development policy could help reduce pressure on established urban centres, promote orderly settlement patterns and create opportunities for investment, employment and business expansion.

The APC Professional Council director-general also welcomed Adeola’s proposal to establish a Ministry of Wealth Creation, describing it as a potentially important component of a broader strategy to tackle unemployment and improve economic opportunities for youths and women.

Under the proposed initiative, Adeola said his administration would build on existing empowerment programmes by providing vocational training and equipping beneficiaries with the skills and support required to become economically productive.

Adenekan maintained that integrating physical infrastructure development with human-capital investment would be essential to achieving inclusive growth and ensuring that the benefits of development reached communities across Ogun State.

The council also noted the candidate’s pledge to revitalise the state’s road maintenance, environmental protection and waste management agencies, saying stronger institutions in these areas would be crucial to maintaining infrastructure, improving sanitation and promoting a healthier environment.

Adeola, while addressing the gathering, further promised to work with Governor Dapo Abiodun to improve the facilities and services of Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, before December.

He disclosed that he was facilitating the construction of a four-storey hospital building at Remo General Hospital, which he said had reached the roofing stage, with completion scheduled for December. He added that 14 similar projects were ongoing across the state.

The senator also highlighted more than 36 infrastructure projects he said he had facilitated across Remoland in areas including roads, education, solar street lighting, rural electrification, modern markets, information and communication technology centres, and primary healthcare facilities.

Adenekan said such interventions, alongside the proposed New Towns Development Agency, pointed to a development philosophy that combined infrastructure expansion with improvements in social services and community welfare.

He added that the success of the proposed initiatives would depend on effective planning, transparent implementation, adequate funding and sustained attention to the needs of communities across the state.

At the meeting, the Akarigbo urged Adeola to focus on the creation of additional local government areas or local development areas for Remoland rather than pursuing state creation. He suggested that Sagamu could be divided into three or four local government areas to improve administration and bring governance closer to the people.

The monarch also commended the senator for attracting infrastructure projects to Remoland, including the road leading to his palace.

Earlier, the President of Remo Collectives, Mr. Akintayo Rabiu, represented by his vice-president, Mr. Olumide Onimole, said the organisation invited Adeola to explain his development agenda for Ogun State generally and Remoland in particular.

The APC candidate also praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic reforms, expressing optimism that their benefits would increasingly reach ordinary Nigerians. He equally commended Governor Abiodun for laying what he described as a solid economic foundation for the state through projects such as the International Cargo Airport, proposed dry inland ports in Ijebu and Egba, and the planned deep seaport.

Adenekan said the proposed New Towns Development Agency, if backed by a clear implementation framework, could complement these investments by promoting planned settlements, stimulating economic activities and positioning Ogun State for sustainable growth.

He urged stakeholders to support development proposals capable of strengthening infrastructure, creating jobs and improving the quality of life of residents across the state.

Adenekan noted that the ITESIWAJU agenda, which seeks to ensure continuity and strengthen ongoing projects and programmes anchored on the ISEYA pillars of the current administration, represents a strategic synergy between the present and proposed administrations.

He described the approach as a handshake that would promote stability and sustainability in governance, particularly in infrastructure development and the social wellbeing of Ogun State residents.

He added that sustaining existing achievements while introducing innovative development initiatives would be critical to building a more prosperous, modern and inclusive Ogun State.