As conversations around the 2027 Ogun State governorship election gather momentum, students have placed education at the centre of their expectations, urging whoever emerges as the next governor to commit at least 26 per cent of the state’s annual budget to the sector.
The demand came from students under the aegis of the Students’ Wing of the Yayi Progressive Movement during a solidarity rally held on Wednesday in Abeokuta in support of the governorship aspiration of Senator Solomon Adeola, popularly known as Yayi.
Speaking at the rally, the Coordinator of the Students’ Wing, Oladotun Opaleye, said the students would continue to engage the senator on education funding if he is elected governor.
According to him, the proposed allocation aligns with the benchmark recommended by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).
“We have a UNESCO standard of 26 per cent. Apart from the fact that we are supporting him, we are going to be on him to ensure that there is a budgetary allocation of 26 per cent to education.
“I believe that he’s going to do it as somebody who has value for qualitative education,” he said.
Opaleye said the rally attracted more than 10,000 students who turned out to appreciate Adeola for what he described as his contributions to education, particularly the recent payment of bursaries and scholarships to 5,312 students across Ogun State.
“Just a few days ago, he paid bursaries and scholarships for 5,312 students in Ogun State. This is without any precondition. This is no mean feat; no other person in the history of Ogun State has ever done that,” he said.
Beyond increased funding, the students urged the senator to prioritise the rehabilitation of infrastructure in tertiary institutions across the state, including classrooms, laboratories and other learning facilities.
“Our campuses are in dire need of infrastructural development. We are hoping that he’s going to bring so much development in terms of laboratories, classrooms and things like that.
“We are going to push, and we are hoping that he’s going to do that for Nigerian students,” Opaleye added.
The student leader also appealed to students across Ogun State to support Adeola’s governorship ambition, expressing confidence that the movement would mobilise about 250,000 votes for him in the 2027 governorship election.
“Our target is to ensure that we deliver 250,000 votes for him in the forthcoming 2027 elections. By the grace of God, with what is on the ground and the kind of work we are doing, he is going to get it from the students’ angle,” he said.
The call highlights the growing expectation among students that education should remain a major priority in Ogun State’s development agenda, with increased funding and improved infrastructure seen as critical to strengthening the quality of tertiary education
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