Senator Solomon Adeola, the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in Ogun State, has said Ilaro, the administrative headquarters of Ogun West senatorial district, is becoming a “small London”, citing infrastructure projects he said he had facilitated since assuming his senatorial mandate.

Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, made the remarks at a programme organised by Ilaro Parapo for Yayi, themed “Unity, Development and Political Future of Ilaro District”, which was attended by thousands of indigenes of Ilaro and surrounding communities in Yewa South local government area.

He said projects in roads, healthcare, education, security and electricity had changed the town’s outlook, adding that he had also worked to expand its educational profile.

“I made a promise to turn Ilaro and environs into a ‘small London’, and I have worked seriously towards it in the areas of infrastructure development that I facilitated for the town”.

Adeola also claimed credit for the town’s emergence as a university destination, citing the enactment of legislation to upgrade the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, to the Federal University of Technology, Ilaro

He urged residents to vote for him and other APC candidates, describing their support as a vote for their own future development. He said he expected more than 60,000 votes from Ilaro District.

In his welcome address, Omoba Segun Adewale, known as OSA, said Adeola was fully rooted in Ilaro and expressed confidence that the town would deliver substantial support for his candidacy.

Adewale said Ilaro had about 80,000 registered voters who had collected their permanent voter cards, adding that the community was seeking to mobilise them behind the senator.

He said the campaign for Adeola was driven not only by his record of projects but also by what he described as a longstanding injustice against Ogun West, which has yet to produce a governor of the state in its 50-year history.

“However, voting for Senator Adeola Yayi is not only for projects and development in Ilaro and Ogun West, but for all Ogun State, as he has started work in other senatorial districts of the state,” Adewale said.

Adeola’s appeal in Ilaro forms part of his campaign to secure support across Ogun State, with the senator presenting infrastructure development and the political representation of Ogun West as central themes of his bid for the governorship.

Three academics from Ilaro — Professor Tope Popoola, Professor Taiwo Edun and Dr Mukhail Akinde – who delivered separate papers on the programme’s urged the community to turn out in large numbers to support Adeola’s candidacy.

Those present included the minister of state for health and social services, Dr Kunle Salako; a former Ogun State legislator, Muftau Ajibola; the deputy speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Latefat Ajayi; Engr Tommy Akintomide; Chief Mrs Iyabo Apampa; and the APC senatorial candidate for Ogun West, Jimoh Ojugbele.