*Photo R-L:Ogun State APC Governorship Candidate, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, CON; Immediate Past Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Ambassador Sarafa Tunji Isola, OFR; and Ogun State APC Deputy Governorship Candidate, Mrs. Kudirat Abiodun Adegunwa-Balogun, share a warm moment during the engagement*
The political atmosphere in Ogun State witnessed yet another significant demonstration of unity, maturity and progressive leadership as the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial candidate, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, CON, FCA, popularly known as Yayi, paid a strategic visit to the residence of Ambassador Sarafa Tunji Isola, OFR, at Abeokuta.
The visit, which was widely regarded by political observers as another defining milestone in the APC’s preparations for the 2027 general elections, was more than a ceremonial courtesy call. It reflected the party’s unwavering commitment to consultation, inclusiveness, internal cohesion and the collective resolve to consolidate progressive governance in Ogun State.
*L-R: Chief Mrs. Temitope Adeola, spouse of the Ogun State APC Governorship Candidate; Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, CON, Ogun State APC Governorship Candidate; Ambassador Sarafa Tunji Isola, OFR, Immediate Past Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom; Mrs. Kudirat Abiodun Adegunwa-Balogun, Ogun State APC Deputy Governorship Candidate; and Hon. Abdul Razak Balogun, spouse of the Ogun State APC Deputy Governorship Candidate during the visit*
The major highlight of the visit was the formal presentation of the APC Deputy Governorship Candidate, Mrs. Kudirat Abiodun Adegunwa-Balogun, to Ambassador Sarafa Tunji Isola by Senator Adeola. The symbolic introduction underscored the importance attached by the party’s leadership to carrying every critical stakeholder along as the campaign gradually gathers momentum across the state.
Senator Adeola was accompanied by his wife, Mrs. Temitope Adeola; his running mate, Mrs. Kudirat Abiodun Adegunwa-Balogun; the spouse of the Deputy Governorship Candidate, Hon. Abdul Razak Balogun; Ogun West Senatorial Candidate, Hon. Jimoh Ojugbele; Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Hon. Olaolu Akanbi Olabimtan; SSA to the Governor on Special Duties, Hon. Babatunde Olaotan (HBO); Chief Kayode Odunaro alongside an array of APC leaders and other influential stakeholders.
The gathering equally served as an avenue for meaningful consultations on the future of Ogun State and the strategic roadmap towards securing a resounding victory for the APC in the forthcoming general elections. Behind closed doors, Senator Adeola, Ambassador Isola and other party leaders reportedly engaged in extensive discussions on strengthening party structures, deepening grassroots mobilisation, fostering greater unity among party faithful and ensuring that the APC remains the preferred choice of the electorate across the length and breadth of Ogun State.
Ambassador Sarafa Tunji Isola’s distinguished tradition of public service is deeply rooted in a family legacy of leadership and community development. His grandfather, Chief Buraimoh Tairu Olaleye, was a respected member of the Egba United Government. His father, Alhaji Ibrahim Tairu Isola, was an active member of the Action Group (AG) and a prominent figure in the United Muslim Council of Nigeria, while his uncle, Alhaji Rufai Tairu in 1952, served as an Action Group Councillor in the defunct Abeokuta District Council.
In recognition of this enduring legacy, Senator Yayi commended Ambassador Isola for his outstanding and exemplary record of public service spanning several decades. He acknowledged the Ambassador’s remarkable contributions in various strategic capacities, including as Chairman of Abeokuta North Local Government, Special Assistant to the Minister of State for Finance, Secretary to the Ogun State Government, Honourable Minister of Mines and Steel Development, and Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. According to Senator Yayi, these accomplishments reflect a lifetime of dedicated service, visionary leadership, and unwavering commitment to the advancement of Ogun State and Nigeria.
Although Ambassador Isola contested alongside other eminent leaders during the party’s gubernatorial primary election, which eventually produced Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola as the APC’s consensus governorship candidate, his conduct after the exercise has continued to attract widespread commendation. Rather than allowing personal ambition to overshadow the collective interest of the party, he demonstrated uncommon statesmanship by embracing party supremacy, placing unity above individual aspiration and reaffirming his total commitment to the success of the APC at all levels.
His disposition has become a reference point in contemporary Nigerian politics, illustrating that true leadership is measured not merely by the pursuit of elective office but by the capacity to strengthen institutions, inspire confidence and rally supporters around a common vision. Ambassador Isola’s loyalty to the APC and his readiness to work harmoniously with Senator Adeola have further reinforced public confidence that the progressive family in Ogun State remains united and focused.
This latest engagement also builds upon previous strategic consultations between both leaders. Shortly after emerging as the APC consensus governorship candidate, Senator Adeola had visited Ambassador Sarafa Tunji Isola on April 22, 2026. During that meeting, Ambassador Isola unequivocally pledged his loyalty to the supremacy of the party and assured Senator Adeola of his unwavering dedication and commitment towards securing victory not only for the governorship candidate but for every APC candidate in the 2027 general elections.
That commitment was further strengthened a week later, on April 29, 2026, when Senator Adeola paid a landmark visit to the political family of Ambassador Sarafa Tunji Isola. On that memorable occasion, members of the Sarafa Support Groups unanimously resolved to align their independent political structures into the APC Project 2027, a development widely celebrated as a historic demonstration of unity, sacrifice and collective responsibility towards achieving a common progressive objective.
Political analysts believe that the series of consultations between Senator Adeola and Ambassador Isola continue to send a reassuring message to party members, supporters and the wider electorate that the APC in Ogun State is determined to approach the 2027 elections as one united family. The meetings equally reinforce the belief that sustainable electoral victory is built on consultation, mutual respect, reconciliation, inclusion and strategic collaboration among stakeholders.
For many observers, the third visit to Ambassador Sarafa Tunji Isola’s residence was not simply another political engagement. It was a powerful affirmation that the All Progressives Congress is consolidating its internal strength, uniting its diverse political tendencies and positioning itself to prosecute the 2027 general elections with renewed confidence, greater cohesion and an unwavering determination to secure a decisive mandate from the people of Ogun State.