Ogun Baales, retirees endorse Yayi for 2027 governorship

The Ogun State Council of Baales (community heads) and the Yayi Retirees Network (YAREN) have endorsed the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Senator Solomon Adeola, well known as Yayi, for the 2027 governorship election in the state.

The endorsement is contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by Yayi’s Media Adviser, Kayode Odunaro, following separate consultative meetings held by the two groups.

Odunaro quoted the Chairman of the Ogun State Council of Baales, Tunji Falola, as saying that the council endorsed Yayi after assessing his performance, community development initiatives, and vision for the state.

Falola said the council had enjoyed a productive relationship with the senator over the past four years, describing him as a leader with a proven record of service and consistent support for traditional institutions.

He said Yayi had executed projects across the state’s 20 local government areas, including roads, schools, hospitals, markets, town halls, water schemes, electricity projects and empowerment programmes.

Falola pledged the support of Baales across Ogun State to ensure Adeola records a resounding victory in the 2027 election, citing his contributions to grassroots development.

Falola, however, appealed to the APC candidate to place Baales on a uniform salary structure and include them in governance, particularly at the local government level, if elected governor.

He stated: “As Baales, we don’t just follow any politician but we are in support of Senator Adeola for his good deeds in the society and good gestures towards us in the last four years.

“We are committed to ensuring that he not only wins but also secures more than the highest winning tally of 450,000 votes ever recorded in Ogun State.”

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The YAREN President, Mary Adeosun, said the network comprised retirees from the federal, state, and local government services with over 1,800 members across Ogun State.

Adeosun said the retirees endorsed Yayi after evaluating projects he had executed across Ogun State, expressing confidence in his ability to provide effective leadership.

She added that the self-funded group envisioned a more prosperous Ogun State and believed the senator possessed the experience and capacity to achieve that goal.

Responding, Yayi thanked both groups for their endorsement, saying his relationship with the Baales predated his governorship ambition because of their importance in grassroots administration.

The senator pledged to provide a new bus for the Baales and gradually extend the gesture to all local government areas while promising to address their salary concerns if elected.

He also commended the retirees for supporting his aspiration based on his performance rather than personal benefits, describing the gesture as unprecedented in his political career.

Yayi assured YAREN that he would study its proposals and, if elected, draw from the wealth of experience of retirees in the administration of the state.