…Adebutu promises to revive Ogun through seven-point ITURA DE agenda
Daud Olatunji
Indigenes of Ogun State have pledged to mobilise against what they described as external control of the state’s political leadership, declaring support for the ‘Ogun for Ogun’ movement ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
The residents made the pledge during ward-to-ward consultations embarked upon by the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Oladipupo Adebutu, and his running mate, Yemi Sowunmi-Kolapo, across the 20 local government areas of the state.
The grassroots engagements, which have attracted traditional stakeholders, market women, farmers, youths and political groups, provided opportunities for residents to express their grievances and demand solutions to pressing developmental challenges in their communities.
The PDP candidates also used the meetings to present their seven-point development agenda, tagged ITURA DE, while seeking support for their proposed administration.
At several of the meetings, residents reportedly welcomed the candidates with fanfare, with some pledging to embark on house-to-house mobilisation to secure victory for the PDP in the forthcoming election.
The ‘Ogun for Ogun’ campaign, which centres on the demand for indigenous leadership, featured prominently in the discussions, with some stakeholders arguing that the state’s political future should be determined by people with established roots and connections to its communities.
At Alagada Ward in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area, a market leader, Mrs Folasade Ogunye, said women in the area were supporting the movement because of what she described as years of neglect of grassroots communities.
She identified poor road infrastructure and unemployment among young people as some of the challenges confronting residents, insisting that the state needed leadership that understood the everyday struggles of its people.
“We, the women of Obafemi Owode, have suffered neglect. Our roads to the markets are bad and our children need jobs. We want someone who grew up here, who knows our language and our struggles.
“That is why we have pledged to go from house to house to secure this mandate. It is about our pride as Ogun indigenes,” she said.
In another development, some members of the ruling All Progressives Congress at Alapakooni community in Obafemi Owode reportedly defected to the PDP, expressing dissatisfaction with their party’s political direction.
The defectors were said to have set some brooms, the APC’s political symbol, ablaze during the gathering as they announced their decision to abandon the party.
They reportedly cited concerns about the identity of the candidate they were expected to support as part of their reasons for leaving the APC.
A community youth coordinator, Tunde Akinola, said the decision to align with Adebutu was informed by the desire to support a candidate they believed understood the state.
“We decided to join this ward meeting today with our incoming governor, Adebutu, because we love our state and can’t trade it on the altar of politics. We want to follow the person we know and that will deliver,” he said.
Similarly, a farmer and stakeholder at Onidunu Ward, Deji Bamidele, lamented the poor state of agricultural mechanisation in the community, saying farmers continued to depend largely on traditional implements despite the need to increase food production.
He said Adebutu’s agricultural proposals under the ITURA DE agenda had encouraged farmers to identify with the campaign.
“In this community, farming is our life but we have been left with cutlasses while other states use tractors. When Adebutu explained ITURA DE and how agriculture will be mechanised, we saw hope.
“We are committing our farmers’ cooperative of over 300 members to this ‘Ogun for Ogun’ cause to ensure our land is governed by our own,” Bamidele said.
At Owode Ward 3, also in Obafemi Owode, a retired teacher, Alhaja Sariyu Bankole, said her support for the movement was driven by the need to preserve what she described as Ogun State’s political heritage.
She said she had encouraged former students and their parents to support the campaign, adding that the state needed leadership that would protect its historical identity.
“We cannot mortgage our heritage. Ogun State is the home of great leaders. Allowing non-indigenes to take over will erase our history. I have told all my former students and their parents in this ward that we must vote for our own. That is our covenant,” she said.
In Sagamu Local Government Area, a youth leader, Comrade Bayo Oduwole, said young people were ready to play a more active role in determining the state’s political future.
He maintained that the ‘Ogun for Ogun’ campaign should not be interpreted as tribalism but as a demand for leadership rooted in the state.
“The ‘Ogun for Ogun’ mandate is not about tribalism, it is about competence and belonging. We know Adebutu’s family history here. We know all that they have done. We know how compassionate Iya Sunnah has been.
“We will mobilise our youth with voter education and door-to-door campaigns to ensure victory,” he said.
Responding to the show of support, Adebutu thanked residents for their reception, saying the ward-to-ward consultations had reinforced his belief that Ogun residents wanted leadership that would address their developmental needs.
He described the ITURA DE agenda as a proposed social contract focused on infrastructure, agriculture, employment and improved living conditions.
“This tour has shown me that our people are yearning for true homegrown leadership. The ITURA DE agenda is not just a slogan, it is a social contract to restore dignity, fix our roads, empower our farmers, create jobs for our youth and return Ogun State to true glory.
“We are not just campaigning, we are listening, and we will deliver,” the PDP candidate said.
His running mate, Kolapo, also pledged that a PDP administration would prioritise grassroots development, particularly in areas affecting women, children and vulnerable communities.
She identified education and primary healthcare as key areas requiring attention, promising an inclusive administration that would give communities a voice in governance.
“What we have seen in all the wards we have visited is genuine love for Ogun State. As a mother and a daughter of this soil, I assure you that our government will prioritise women, children, education and primary healthcare.
“We will not disappoint you. This ‘Ogun for Ogun’ mandate is a mandate for all of us to save our state from dangerous intrusion,” she said.
The ward-to-ward consultations come as political parties and their prospective candidates begin to intensify grassroots engagements ahead of the 2027 governorship election, with infrastructure, agriculture, employment and the question of political identity emerging as key issues in Ogun’s unfolding political contest.
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