The Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has assured residents of the South West Nigerian state that his administration will oversee a seamless, peaceful, and rancour-free transfer of power at the end of his constitutionally permitted second term in the year 2027, promising to set an unprecedented standard in the state’s political history.
Governor Abiodun, who leads Ogun State in south western Nigeria, made the pledge on Thursday, 25 December, 2025, during a Christmas Day church service held at Saint James’ Anglican Church in Iperu-Remo, a historic town located in Ikenne Local Government Area of Ogun State.
Speaking before congregants in his hometown, the governor said his administration was committed to becoming the first government in Ogun State’s more than fifty-year history to successfully hand over power without acrimony, bitterness, or political instability.
Okay News reports that political succession in Ogun State has often been fraught with tension, internal party conflicts, and divided loyalties, a trend that Abiodun said his government is determined to break permanently.
Historical precedents support his concern. In the lead-up to Nigeria’s Two Thousand And Eleven general elections, the then Governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, backed Gboyega Isiaka, a Chartered Accountant and alumnus of Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife, Osun State, as the governorship candidate from Ogun West Senatorial District.
However, the plan was disrupted when Nigeria’s former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, alongside key members of the Peoples Democratic Party, supported the late Major General Adetunji Olurin, a former Military Governor of Oyo State, who also hailed from Ogun West. The division resulted in Isiaka contesting under the Peoples Party of Nigeria, while Olurin remained with the Peoples Democratic Party. Both candidates eventually lost the election to Senator Ibikunle Amosun of the Action Congress of Nigeria.
A similar pattern played out ahead of the Two Thousand And Nineteen governorship election when the outgoing Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun of the All Progressives Congress, endorsed Adekunle Akinlade, then a member of Nigeria’s House of Representatives representing Yewa South and Ipokia Federal Constituency. Despite this endorsement, Amosun publicly insisted he did not interfere with the candidacy of Dapo Abiodun.
In a tightly contested race marked by party divisions, Abiodun emerged victorious with a margin of approximately nineteen thousand votes, defeating Akinlade of the Allied Peoples Movement and Gboyega Isiaka of the African Democratic Congress, who placed second and third respectively.
Addressing the congregation, Abiodun promised that the political process surrounding his exit from office would be free from hostility, internal sabotage, or destabilising rivalry.
“As we approach Two Thousand And Twenty Seven, not only shall we finish well and finish strong, by the grace of God, this administration will hand over successfully to a successor. It will be the first peaceful transition in the fifty-year history of Ogun State,” he said.
“By God’s grace, I will sit down as your governor at my send-forth ceremony and also sit at the swearing-in ceremony of my successor.”
The governor attributed his optimism to what he described as measurable progress recorded under his leadership, particularly in economic growth, infrastructure expansion, and human capital development.
According to him, Ogun State’s annual budget has increased from approximately ₦355 billion when he assumed office to more than ₦2.7 trillion, reflecting increased investor confidence and economic activity.
“Our economy has grown almost five times from what we met on ground. New factories and industries are springing up across the state,” he said.
“We have reconstructed over two thousand schools, created jobs, empowered farmers, and expanded opportunities for our people — and we are not done yet. We need your prayers to finish strong.”
Abiodun further reaffirmed his commitment to using public office as a platform for service, citing major projects such as the Gateway International Airport and several infrastructure initiatives spread across Ogun State’s three senatorial districts as legacies that would endure beyond his tenure.
He also praised Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the leader of Africa’s most populous country, for what he described as purposeful leadership under the Renewed Hope Agenda, noting improvements in fuel availability, easing inflationary pressures, and relative stability in Nigeria’s foreign exchange system.
Reflecting on the true meaning of Christmas, the governor urged residents to see the season as a time for love, compassion, and service to the less privileged rather than excessive celebration.
“Many people think Christmas is about shopping or partying, but that is not what Christmas is about. Christmas is about love — loving your neighbour as yourself,” he said.
“There is no greater gift than God giving us Jesus to die for our unrighteousness. Some people give what they no longer need, but God gave us a priceless gift.”
The Christmas sermon, titled Christmas Is God’s Best Gift to You, was delivered by the Vicar of the church, Venerable Tolulope Akinwande, who described Christmas as the season when God offered Himself to humanity through the birth of Jesus Christ.
Quoting passages from the Book of Hebrews and the Gospel of John, the cleric urged Christians to embrace the transformative power of Christ’s sacrifice. He also prayed that Governor Abiodun’s remaining time in office would surpass his early years in impact and legacy.
