OGUN APC FIGURE REBUKES IYABO OBASANJO FOR ‘OPPORTUNIST’ COMMENTS ON YAYI
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By: Fasasi Hammad
A senior member of the All Progressives Congress in Ogun State, Akeem Akilo, has criticized former Ogun Central Senator, Iyabo Obasanjo, over her description of the Ogun West Senator and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, as an “opportunist.”
In a statement on Sunday, Akilo described Obasanjo’s recent radio comments as “misplaced and unfortunate,” adding that they were politically hollow and lacked substance.
He noted the irony of a politician who had largely stayed away from Nigeria’s partisan frontline since her failed 2011 re-election bid for Ogun Central now attempting to lecture others on political consistency and democratic growth.
“For over a decade, Ogun Central has moved on. The political structure has evolved. New leaders have emerged. The grassroots she claims to understand have continued their journey without her visible participation or institutional footprint,” Akilo said.
He added: “To describe Senator Adeola—popularly known as Yayi—as an ‘opportunist’ is a convenient narrative, but it collapses under scrutiny.”
Akilo stressed that Adeola’s political career reflects steady growth and consistent voter validation rather than disappearance or opportunism.
“From the Lagos State House of Assembly to two terms in the House of Representatives, two Senate terms representing Lagos West, and now representing Ogun West in the Senate, Senator Adeola’s career demonstrates continuity, voter confidence, and strategic political expansion—not opportunism,” he said.
Acknowledging that politics is inherently dynamic, Akilo noted that political migration is common in democracies, citing examples from established systems where politicians extend their influence beyond initial constituencies.
“What matters is legitimacy through the ballot—and Senator Adeola has consistently earned that legitimacy,” he added.
He further argued that framing Adeola’s move from Lagos to Ogun as “political shopping” ignored a key fact: Ogun is his ancestral home.
“The 2023 mandate he secured in Ogun West was not handed to him on a platter; it was hard-fought and democratically won. Credibility is measured by sustained engagement, presence, and impact—not rhetoric on radio programmes,” Akilo said.
He suggested that Obasanjo’s labeling of a consistently successful politician as an opportunist appeared to be a calculated attempt to regain relevance.
“When a politician who has been largely absent from Ogun’s evolving political landscape resurfaces mainly to attack a sitting senator, observers are entitled to question the motive. Is this about democratic reform—or personal political comeback?” he queried.
“If opportunism is to be defined, it should include leveraging another’s rising profile to stage a personal return. Senator Adeola’s record, spanning electoral victories across two states and sustained legislative service, reflects adaptability, strategy, and political durability—not opportunism.”
The media reports that Obasanjo recently completed her e-registration as a member of the APC in Ibogun, Ward 11, Ifo Local Government Area, and has declared her intention to contest the 2027 governorship election in Ogun State.
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