The Friends Network, a support group backing the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Ogun State, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, has taken its grassroots mobilisation campaign to zonal Community Development Councils (CDCs) in Abeokuta South Local Government Area.
The engagement, held on Thursday, August 27, 2026, sought both to canvass community support for Adeola ahead of the 2027 governorship election and to identify pressing development needs across the communities.
The delegation was led by former Ogun State governorship aspirant, Hon. Kayode Tejuoso, son of the Osile of Oke-Ona, Oba Dr. Adedapo Adewale Tejuoso.
Other members included Engr. Ayotunde Ayodeji, RTEAN Secretary; Chief Tiwalade Akingbade (Paulo Rossi); Hon. (Engr.) Kenny Kadri Edu; Pastor Kunle Odewale; Pastor Lekan Araba; Hon. Ojoye Olasehinde; Oke-Ona CDC Chairman, Alhaji Tijani Qozeem; and Mr. Babalola Gafar.
Speaking during the engagement, Tejuoso said the Friends Network was formed by individuals who believe in Adeola’s capacity to provide effective leadership and good governance.
Describing Adeola as a “talk and do” politician, he urged CDC and Community Development Association (CDA) leaders to document their most pressing needs for onward presentation to the APC candidate.
“We want to know the pressing needs of every community and have them properly documented. Senator Yayi wants to know what our people need so that he can address those needs when the opportunity comes,” Tejuoso said.
He also appealed to the community leaders to support Adeola’s emergence as governor and strengthen mobilisation for the APC across their respective communities.
Also speaking, Pastor Kunle Odewale said Adeola’s interventions in Ogun West Senatorial District demonstrated what he described as the candidate’s capacity to deliver on promises.
Odewale, who identified himself as a constituent of Ogun West, cited interventions across Ipokia, Ado-Odo/Ota and Imeko-Afon, among other areas, urging the community representatives to support what he described as the “product” being presented by the Friends Network.
While acknowledging the engagement, community leaders used the opportunity to highlight challenges affecting grassroots development.
Chairman of the Egba Onikolobo CDC, Mr. Abdul Aregbesola, raised concerns over what he described as declining financial support for community development initiatives from local governments.
Similarly, Chairman of the Egba Agbeyin Area CDC, Mrs. Dupe Faleye, welcomed the engagement but cautioned against treating community development councils as political structures.
“We don’t want to be joined together with the politicians. We are community representatives, and we are developing our communities,” Faleye said.
She also raised concerns over inadequate basic infrastructure, saying communities were increasingly compelled to provide facilities traditionally expected from government.
“We, the community, are the ones constructing water projects, transformers, and roads. What politicians are supposed to do, we are the ones doing it,” she said.
Faleye further highlighted transportation difficulties confronting CDC representatives and appealed for support, including buses to facilitate movement within the local government.
Responding, Tejuoso assured the community representatives that their concerns would be properly documented and presented to Adeola.
He also urged the CDCs and CDAs to fulfil their part by mobilising support for Yayi and other APC candidates ahead of the 2027 elections.
The engagement ended with calls for stronger collaboration between the Friends Network and community development structures, particularly in documenting grassroots needs and strengthening communication between communities and political leaders.
