Insiders Tell Gboyega Isiaka GNI’s Plan As Attention Shifts In Ogun Guber

Insiders have pointed out the plan of Gboyega Nasir Isiaka, one of the heavily touted contenders for the next Governor of Ogun State, as attention shifts in another direction.

Isiaka, who contested the 2011, 2015, and 2019 Ogun State gubernatorial elections, wants to have another shot at the esteemed position.

Taking up the slot that made him a House of Representatives member from Egbado North and Imeko-Afon Federal Constituency is said to be part of a larger arrangement to enable him to succeed Governor Dapo Abiodun in 2027.

Sources disclosed that everything appeared to be working in his favor, despite the intimidating campaign of Senator Adeola Solomon, until recently.

Senator Adeola, famously known as Yayi, is from Ogun West—like Isiaka, who is better known across political circles as GNI.

Yayi and GNI hinged their gubernatorial ambitions on helping Ogun West produce a state governor for the first time.

However, it appears that disunity in Ogun West and decisions by key players outside the area have conspired to zone the next governor to Ogun Central, one of the two divisions that have been producing the number one citizen since the creation of the state in 1976.

Incumbent Governor Dapo Abiodun, who will leave office in 2027—after serving two terms of four years each—is from the other division, Ogun East.

Senator Yayi has taken steps to expand his chances by tracing his maternal ancestry to Ogun Central, moving beyond the limitations of his Ogun West base.

He is currently being touted by some stakeholders as one of the governorship contenders from Ogun Central.

However, those in the know disclosed that GNI has opted to sit tight in Ogun West while exploring means to tweak things to his advantage.

“The talks are that he will be keeping faith with the arrangement in place—the one that earned him a House of Representatives ticket—with the conviction that pledges made will be fulfilled,” sources said.

Those in the know further disclosed that part of the efforts to fulfill the pledges made to GNI formed the reasons for the recent run-around in Senator Yayi’s camp, with indications that a major supporter was balking.

“In politics, 24 hours is a lot of time, not to mention almost two years. This is early 2025, and the election is scheduled for 2027. That’s a whole lot of time for plenty of things to change. One thing is clear: GNI is going the whole hog, and he won’t take panic steps,” according to information making the rounds.