OMOTAYO: ABIODUN WILL FALL BY NOON ON ELECTION DAY

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senatorial candidate for Ogun East, Abdul-Hameed Omotayo, popularly known as OmoOwo, has vowed to defeat Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun in the 2027 general elections, declaring that the outcome would be clear by noon on election day.

The Omotayo defeat Abiodun noon declaration came at the inaugural press parley of his campaign organisation at OmoOwo Hall, Ijebu-Ode, on Thursday, according to a statement by the OmoOwo Media Office.

THE DECLARATION

Omotayo was unequivocal about his confidence in his chances. “I am confident that by 12 noon on January 16, 2027, I will have defeated Dapo Abiodun. Ogun East deserves effective representation, and I am ready to provide it,” he said.

The PDP candidate argued that the people of Ogun East had waited long enough for representation that translated into tangible results, adding that his candidacy represented a departure from what he described as a culture of unfulfilled promises.

“Ogun East does not need more talk about potential. Our people have heard enough of that. What they need, what they deserve, is competent, purposeful representation that delivers practical results. That is what I am offering,” he said.

THE CASE AGAINST ABIODUN

Omotayo, who has more than three decades of professional experience in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, attributed the gap between the resources available to Ogun East and the benefits it receives from the Federal Government to inadequate representation .

He said a senator had specific responsibilities, including lawmaking, oversight of the executive, attracting federal interventions and ensuring that constituents’ concerns were reflected in national decisions.

“The role of a senator is specific and consequential. It is to make laws that serve the people, to hold the executive to account, to fight for the constituency’s share of federal allocations, and to ensure that the voices of communities, from Ijebu-Ode to Remo to Ogun Waterside, are heard in the chambers where the decisions that shape their lives are made,” he said.

“I know how to do this job. And I am prepared to do it”.

THE PRIORITIES

Omotayo outlined several priorities for his campaign.On youth unemployment, he pledged to use his industry connections and legislative influence to link young people in Ogun East with skills training and employment opportunities in the oil and gas sector and related industries.

He also promised to advocate federal support for local markets, small businesses and artisans, which he described as the economic backbone of communities across the district.

In the health sector, Omotayo said he planned to work with relevant federal institutions to expand residents’ access to the National Health Insurance Authority and advocate improved primary healthcare infrastructure across the district’s nine local government areas.

He further promised to push for better funding for public schools, improved welfare for teachers and expanded technology infrastructure in schools, describing investment in education as essential to the district’s economic future.

THE ECONOMIC DISPARITY

Omotayo also drew attention to the economic challenges facing skilled workers, particularly artisans whose expertise often earns them far less than their counterparts in specialised industries.

Citing the disparity between welders working in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, who he said could earn between $300 and $600 daily, and local welders in Ijebu, Omotayo called for practical pathways to connect artisans with better-paying opportunities.

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He argued that skills development must go beyond training and certificates to include access to employers, industry opportunities and sustainable livelihoods, noting that such connections could improve household incomes and contribute to economic growth across Ogun East .

THE CONTEXT

Abiodun, who is completing his second term as governor, was adopted by leaders and stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun East as the party’s consensus candidate for the 2027 senatorial election.

The endorsement was witnessed by senior APC leaders, including the party’s consensus governorship candidate in Ogun State, Olamilekan Adeola, former deputy governors and other stakeholders across Ogun East.

Abiodun has promised to mobilise at least two million votes for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election, expressing confidence that the president would secure victory.

WHY IT MATTERS

Omotayo’s declaration sets the tone for what promises to be a fiercely contested senatorial race in Ogun East.

The PDP candidate is positioning himself as the antidote to what he describes as ineffective representation, while Abiodun is banking on his record as governor and the APC’s political machinery in the district.

The outcome of the contest will be determined not just by rhetoric, but by the ability of both candidates to mobilise voters across the nine local government areas of Ogun East.

ValidViewNetwork reports that Omotayo has declared his confidence in defeating Abiodun by noon on January 16, 2027. The election will decide.