The Friends Network, a support group backing the governorship ambition of Senator Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, on Wednesday intensified its grassroots mobilisation across communities in Abeokuta, Ogun State, with a call on residents to support the senator in the 2027 governorship election.
The delegation, led by former Ogun State governorship aspirant Hon. Kayode Tejuoso, son of the Osile of Oke Ona, Oba Dr. Adedapo Adewale Tejuoso, visited several Community Development Councils (CDCs) and Community Development Associations (CDAs)in Abeokuta North Local Government to engage residents and identify their most pressing developmental needs.
Speaking during the engagement, Tejuoso said the Friends Network was established to bring together people who share a strong belief in Senator Adeola’s capacity to provide effective leadership in Ogun State. He said, “All of us in the Friends Network love Senator Yayi. We are friends of the incoming governor, and that is what has brought us together to support him.”
He said members of the group had followed Adeola’s political journey since 2003 and had witnessed his contributions at different levels of representation. According to him, “We have known Yayi since he started politics in 2003. We have seen what he has been doing as a lawmaker in the House of Assembly, House of Representatives and now the Senate. His impact is not limited to his senatorial district; he has touched lives across Ogun State.”
Tejuoso noted that Adeola’s interventions in education and economic empowerment, including support for students and market women, demonstrated his commitment to the people. He added, “He has been paying school fees and supporting people in Ogun Central and Ogun East and Ogun West. We believe that if he gets to power as governor, he will do much more, particularly for communities in Abeokuta North.”
The Friends Network delegation also explained that the visit was not solely about politics but about understanding the developmental challenges confronting communities.
Tejuoso urged the CDCs and CDAs to document their needs so they could be formally presented to Senator Adeola. “We want to know the pressing needs of every community and have them properly documented. Senator Yayi wants to know what our people need so that he can address those needs when the opportunity comes,” he said.
Among the requests presented by the communities were the rehabilitation of roads, provision of electricity transformers, borehole water, schools, healthcare facilities, solar street lights, a community bus, women empowerment programmes and youth empowerment initiatives among others.
The representatives said addressing these needs would significantly improve the quality of life of residents.
The representative of the CDC welcomed the Friends Network delegation and commended communities that had made efforts to provide basic infrastructure for themselves, including the construction of schools.
He urged residents to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and participate actively in the 2027 election, saying, “We must all get our PVCs and vote for Senator Yayi. If we want these needs addressed, we must support a leader we believe can deliver.”
Also speaking, the Secretary of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), Comrade Tiwalde Akingbade who was also part of the Friends Network delegation urged residents to vote massively for Senator Adeola and other candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He said, “Let us all vote massively for Senator Yayi and the other APC candidates. The needs identified today should also be properly documented so that they can be presented to him for necessary action.”
The Friends Network visited the Oke- Ona, Gbagura,Olumo, Urban, Metro, Oke- Ogun, Ifedara, Ifekowajo, Ifelere, Isokan, Ikereku, Oke- Ata, Ifedapo Area CDCs, where the delegation interacted with community leaders and residents.
The group reaffirmed its commitment to grassroots engagement and urged residents to support Senator Adeola’s bid to become the next governor of Ogun State.
