A convener of the United Premier Movement (UPM), Hon. (Chief) Olalekan Shoyinka, has cautioned leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and other political actors in Ogun state against reducing leadership choices to financial inducement and short-term benefits, warning that such a trend could mortgage the future of the state.
Shoyinka, popularly known as Ayinla Egba made the remarks in a statement titled “The Yayi Effect and Political Leadership in Ogun State (Part 2)” made available to PLATFORM TIMES on Friday.
He commended Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly called Yayi, for facilitating federal projects, empowerment programmes, and political mobilisation across Ogun West and beyond.
However, he stressed that the basis of political endorsement must go beyond what aspirants “share” to party members.
“Ambition is the fuel of leadership. What concerns me—and should concern every well-meaning stakeholder in Ogun State—is the basis upon which our political leaders choose whom to follow, endorse, or anoint,” Shoyinka said.
While acknowledging Yayi’s contributions, the UPM convener questioned the timing of his return to Ogun politics after over a decade of political prominence in Lagos, where he served in the State Assembly, House of Representatives, and Senate before relocating his political base to pursue a governorship ambition.
Shoyinka queried why Lagos APC leaders never considered the senator as governorship material despite his long service and loyalty in the state.
“Had Senator Yayi been widely considered governorship material in Lagos, perhaps he would have been endorsed to succeed a governor in Nigeria’s most strategic state.
But politics, like nature, abhors a vacuum. Now that he’s returned home, he’s found in Ogun a willing ground for ambition — a land where money, infrastructure, and influence seem to be more powerful than legacy, ideology, or vision,” he added.
The UPM leader warned against what he described as the “a ṣàájẹun” syndrome, where loyalty is driven by what aspirants distribute rather than their long-term vision for the state.
According to him, true leadership must be measured by sustainable development and institutional legacy, not short-lived generosity.
He clarified that he was not opposed to Yayi’s ambition but was only calling attention to the need for ideology-driven politics in Ogun.
“If no better candidate emerges, I will not hesitate to support him publicly because it is my duty as a responsible citizen. But I must challenge our leaders to act in the interest of tomorrow. Let us not mistake momentary generosity for visionary governance,” he said.
Shoyinka cautioned that Ogun might produce a candidate without producing a statesman if the present trend continues.
The statement concluded with a teaser for the next instalment of his political commentary series, titled “The Future We Must Secure — A Blueprint for Ideology-Driven Politics in Ogun State”, scheduled for release on Monday.
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