If Senator Yayi Becomes Ogun Governor, We’ll Urge Him to Construct a Railway,

...Using Existing NRC Corridors 

- Akeem Akilo

A major supporter of Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, has expressed confidence that the lawmaker would prioritise railway development if elected as Governor of Ogun State in 2027.

Comrade Akeem Akilo, a local government chairmanship aspirant in Ogun State in the last 2024 local government elections and the State Coordinator of the Yayi Progressive Movement (YPM), stated this during a media interaction in Ijebu Ode.

Akilo emphasised that one of the major infrastructural drives of the Yayi political movement would be the development of an efficient railway network across Ogun State, leveraging the existing Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) corridors that traverse the state.

“We’ll urge him to construct a railway in Ogun State and to make use of the advantages of the existing NRC corridors. Ogun State is privileged to have the passage of both the narrow-gauge and standard-gauge railway lines,” Akilo stated.

He noted that railway transportation remains a critical component of national development and has, in recent years, witnessed renewed attention after decades of neglect. According to him, the modernisation of the rail sector is central to reducing logistics costs, easing road congestion, and stimulating economic growth across the country.

Akilo recalled that under the constitutional amendment signed into law by former President Muhammadu Buhari, railways were moved from the Exclusive to the Concurrent Legislative List—granting state governments the power to legislate, construct, and operate rail systems independently.

He, however, lamented that only Lagos State has so far maximised this constitutional privilege through massive investments in intra-state rail services.

“For us in Ogun State, we are lucky. Both NRC narrow-gauge and standard-gauge lines pass through our state. Our boundary in the narrow-gauge corridor with Lagos is at Ifo, while the Abeokuta station is at Lafenwa,” Akilo explained.

Highlighting the potential of a state-driven rail system, he proposed an intra-state rail link connecting Abeokuta to Ijebu Ode, Abeokuta to Ilaro, Owode, Ipokia, and extending to the border areas.

“This will not only boost the transport system but also reduce the burden on our roads, cut transportation costs, and create massive economic opportunities for Ogun State,” Akilo added.

He reiterated that the Yayi Progressive Movement remains committed to advancing conversations around infrastructural innovation, economic expansion, and people-oriented governance ahead of the 2027 elections.