There is an old saying in politics that when your opponents stop attacking your ideas and begin attacking your existence, you have become the candidate to beat. Judging by recent developments in Ogun State, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, has clearly reached that political destination.
The flurry of lawsuits seeking nomination forms he submitted over two decades does not, in my view, reflect the confidence of a political opposition prepared to win at the ballot box. Rather, it suggests an opposition searching desperately for technical shortcuts to achieve what it may struggle to accomplish through popular votes.
No democrat should oppose the right of any citizen to seek judicial interpretation. The courts are pillars of constitutional democracy. But when litigation becomes the principal weapon of political engagement instead of policies, programmes and people-oriented ideas, it raises legitimate questions about whether the courtroom is gradually replacing the campaign ground.
The emerging political reality in Ogun State is difficult to ignore. Across the three senatorial districts, Yayi has steadily built a formidable political structure anchored on years of legislative experience, grassroots engagement, accessibility and constituency development. His growing popularity has become one of the defining features of the race towards 2027.
Popularity is a currency that cannot be manufactured overnight. It is earned through years of service, relationships and public confidence. It explains why every political conversation in Ogun today invariably returns to the name Yayi. It also explains why his opponents appear determined to make him the central subject of political discourse.
Unfortunately, some politicians seem to believe that if they cannot diminish a man’s popularity through superior ideas, they can bury it beneath endless litigation, sensational headlines and political propaganda. History has repeatedly shown the futility of that approach. Court filings may dominate newspaper headlines for a day, but they do not automatically translate into electoral victory.
The people of Ogun are politically enlightened. They know the difference between genuine public accountability and political theatre. They understand that allegations remain allegations until proven before a competent court. They also appreciate that every Nigerian enjoys the constitutional presumption of innocence.
It is equally instructive that Senator Adeola’s political career has unfolded under the watch of Nigeria’s electoral institutions for more than twenty years. He has contested elections, won mandates and served at the highest levels of the National Assembly. Throughout that period, the legal mechanisms provided by the Electoral Act were available to anyone with legitimate concerns.
This is why many objective observers see the current legal offensive as part of the rough-and-tumble of politics surrounding a leading aspirant. Whether or not that perception is correct, one fact remains undeniable: the ultimate judge in a democracy is not the courtroom but the electorate.
Those who genuinely believe they possess a better vision for Ogun State should challenge Yayi where democracy demands—before farmers in Imeko, traders in Ijebu-Ode, artisans in Sagamu, professionals in Abeokuta, fishermen in Ogun Waterside and the energetic youths spread across the state. That is where elections are won—not merely in legal filings.
The opposition owes Ogun people more than courtroom drama. It owes them a coherent blueprint for economic transformation, industrial expansion, quality education, healthcare delivery, infrastructure renewal, security and employment. Democracy is enriched by competing ideas, not by an endless search for procedural victories.
As the 2027 governorship contest gathers momentum, politicians should remember that power belongs neither to the loudest voice nor to the most prolific litigant. It belongs to the people. And the people have consistently demonstrated that they reward competence, accessibility, consistency and proven leadership.
If Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola’s popularity continues to unsettle his political opponents, the appropriate democratic response is not to search endlessly through old documents in the hope of discovering a technical knockout. The proper response is to present a better candidate, articulate a superior vision and trust the wisdom of the electorate.
In the final analysis, elections are not won by paperwork alone. They are won by the confidence of the people. If Yayi truly commands that confidence, then no volume of litigation, political distractions or orchestrated controversies will prevent the people of Ogun State from making their own decision when the ballot is eventually cast.
That is the beauty of democracy. The courtroom may interpret the law, but only the people can write political history.
