Yayi Pledges Stronger Youth Empowerment in Ogun

The APC governorship candidate made the pledge at the Yayi Progressives Movement’s Ogun East Mega Rally in Ijebu-Ode, where more than 1,100 artisans were inaugurated as grassroots ambassadors

Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Ogun State, has renewed his commitment to youth empowerment and economic opportunities, promising to sustain initiatives that would enable young people to contribute meaningfully to the development of the state and Nigeria.

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Adeola made the pledge on Friday, October 30, 2026, at the Ogun East Mega Rally organised by the Yayi Progressives Movement (YPM) at the Otunba Dipo Dina International Stadium in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State.

The gathering, which formed part of the APC’s political mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general elections, attracted political leaders, legislators, local government chairmen, artisans, market associations, youth organisations and party supporters from the nine local government areas in Ogun East Senatorial District.

The former senator representing Lagos West and current lawmaker for Ogun West expressed satisfaction with the turnout, particularly the participation of thousands of young people in a solidarity walk organised before the main rally.

He described the youths’ involvement as an encouraging demonstration of their willingness to participate in the political and developmental future of the state.

“Definitely, our commitment to empowering the youth and help them to succeed while also contributing their much needed quota to the development of our dear state and the country at large will never be brushed aside in our efforts to serve the people and take the state to higher height,” Adeola said.

The pledge placed youth development among the central messages of the rally, which also served as an opportunity for the movement to expand its grassroots structures through occupational and community-based organisations.

One of the major highlights was the inauguration of more than 1,100 Artisan Ambassadors drawn from different trades, including tailoring, mechanics, carpentry and hairdressing.

The initiative is intended to strengthen the YPM’s grassroots mobilisation network across Ogun East by involving artisans and other professional groups in its political activities ahead of the next general elections.

The inauguration also reflected the growing use of trade associations, market groups and community organisations as mobilisation channels by political parties seeking to establish connections beyond conventional party structures.

YPM convener Akintunde Armstrong described the gathering as the beginning of a broader statewide mobilisation campaign designed to consolidate support for the APC ahead of the 2027 elections.

He disclosed that the movement would organise similar rallies in Ogun Central and Ogun West Senatorial Districts, extending its mobilisation activities beyond the eastern part of the state.

Armstrong expressed confidence that the movement’s expanding grassroots network would help the party strengthen its political presence across Ogun State.

Governor Dapo Abiodun also attended the rally, where he reiterated the APC’s determination to secure victory in the presidential, governorship and legislative elections in 2027.

While introducing the party’s candidates from Ogun East, Abiodun urged members and supporters to maintain unity and ensure that the party’s candidates received coordinated electoral support across all levels of government.

The governor also restated his administration’s commitment to securing two million votes for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Ogun State, insisting that the party could not afford to lose votes.

“We have promised our President two million votes, and not a single vote must be lost. After all, there is no opposition in Ogun State,” Abiodun said.

The two-million-vote figure represents the governor’s stated electoral target for the APC in Ogun, rather than an established projection of the party’s eventual performance.

The rally followed earlier APC mobilisation activities in Ogun State, including a September 2026 mega rally organised by Caucus 7202 at the same stadium, where Abiodun also pledged two million votes for Tinubu’s re-election.

Adeola’s political campaign is also taking shape against the background of his legislative experience. He has represented Ogun West in the Senate since 2023, after previously representing Lagos West from 2015 to 2023.

His earlier public service included membership of the Lagos State House of Assembly and the House of Representatives.

The 2027 Ogun governorship contest is scheduled for February 6, according to reporting by The Guardian, placing the YPM rally within an increasingly active period of political organisation and campaign preparation.

Although the inauguration of artisan ambassadors and the participation of young people provided a strong grassroots dimension to the gathering, the central challenge for the movement will be translating its mobilisation structures into meaningful public engagement and measurable electoral participation.

Adeola’s pledge to sustain youth empowerment will also draw attention to the practical opportunities that could emerge from the commitment, particularly in skills development, employment, entrepreneurship and access to economic support.

For the artisans and young people who participated in the gathering, the significance of the promise will ultimately depend on whether political commitments translate into sustained opportunities beyond election-related activities.

The YPM’s planned rallies in Ogun Central and Ogun West are expected to extend the movement’s mobilisation efforts as the APC prepares for the 2027 general elections.

Editorial context: Before the rally, YPM had announced plans to inaugurate 1,180 artisan ambassadors.

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The subsequent event coverage described the number as more than 1,100, so the report retains the confirmed broader figure rather than presenting the preliminary target as the final count.