Why Yayi-GNI’s Supporters War Is Not Ending Soon

Even by political skirmish standards, the ongoing exchange has been described as fiery, fierce, and far beyond acceptable limits.

This is the raging face-off between supporters of two leading politicians in the Yewa axis of Ogun State — Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola and House of Representatives member, Gboyega Nasir Isiaka.

Senator Adeola, widely known as Yayi, and Isiaka, popularly called GNI, are both gubernatorial aspirants under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). They are each vying to become the first governor of Ogun State from Yewaland.

In recent days, their supporters have thrown caution to the wind, launching aggressive campaigns to promote their preferred candidate as the most qualified to actualize Yewa’s long-standing agitation for the governorship.

Each side has gone all out, issuing harsh criticisms, trading allegations, and undermining the credibility of the other.

Findings reveal that at the heart of these hostile exchanges — on both social and traditional media — are accusations of betrayal and counterclaims that have polarised the local population.

Yayi’s supporters allege, among other things, that GNI is acting as a spoiler.

They claim his ambition is the root of Yayi’s rumoured strained relationship with Governor Dapo Abiodun.

On the other hand, loyalists of the House of Representatives member argue that Senator Adeola is falsely claiming to be from Yewaland.

These accusations initially surfaced during his campaign for the Ogun West senatorial seat in 2023. Despite the controversy, he won that election by a landslide.

Senator Yayi became Ogun West Senator after serving as a lawmaker in Lagos State, where he held both state and federal legislative positions. He was the immediate past Senator representing Lagos West.

GNI, by contrast, is a long-time gubernatorial hopeful making his fourth attempt at the state’s top seat. Although a popular name in Ogun state, his core support base is in Imeko — a part of the federal constituency he currently represents.

Yayi, however, has successfully built statewide political influence. His political structure — developed over years and first nurtured during his time in Lagos after an earlier failed attempt to break into Ogun politics before 2015 — is now considered one of the most formidable in Ogun State.

His team is widely credited with playing a significant role in the coalition that brought Governor Abiodun to power in 2019 and helped secure his re-election in 2023.

Insiders insist that since becoming a Senator, Yayi has executed projects described as unprecedented across his constituency, with some even reaching beyond Ogun West to other parts of the state.

“And many believe that based on the momentum he has gathered, he stands the best chance to help Yewa finally produce a governor,” sources say.

“His followers, determined to realize this ambition, are ready to confront anyone they perceive as an obstacle” insiders added.

However, there are those who do not regard him as a “true son of the soil” due to his political history. They argue that unless someone with deeper ancestral and community roots — like GNI — becomes governor, Yewa would still be shortchanged.

These critics have aligned with GNI’s camp and are said to be fueling the resentment against Yayi.

And from all indications, neither side seems ready to back down anytime soon.

Further checks reveal that internal divisions and the failure to unite behind a single candidate have long plagued Yewaland’s quest for the governorship.

“It has been the major obstacle in our agitation over the years,” a party member explained. “This disunity has repeatedly allowed the more populous Ogun East and Central to rotate the governorship among themselves since the creation of the state in 1976.”