The son of former Oyo State governor, Lam Adesina, Dr Ayo Lam-Adesina, has joined the 2027 governorship race in Oyo State, although he admitted that he lacks the financial resources to pursue his ambition.
He stated that his aspiration is driven solely by faith rather than funding.
Adesina, during an interactive session with newsmen in Ibadan, maintained that he is interested in serving the state but does not possess the financial capacity typically required to mount a competitive campaign, emphasising that he “has only God” as his source of support.
Lam Adesina, who said he is contesting on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), pledged to restore what he described as the progressive ideals historically associated with Oyo State and the wider South-West.
According to him, “I will contest for governor under the APC platform. The principal objective is to bring Oyo State back to what it used to be, a state full of opportunities for everybody.”
Dr Lam-Adesina attributed his political philosophy to the influence of his late father and other leading progressive figures in the region, including Obafemi Awolowo and Bola Ige.
He said Ige’s principles of equal opportunity, free education and people-centred governance shaped his upbringing and continue to inform his political thinking.
Recalling his experience under the free education policy of the old Oyo State, he expressed concern over what he described as declining standards in public schools and the healthcare system.
“When we were growing up, parents wanted their children to attend the same public schools they attended. Today, can we confidently send our children to those same schools?” he asked.
Dr Lam-Adesina also cited findings from recent free health outreach programmes he sponsored across parts of the state, noting that screenings for hypertension and diabetes revealed worrying trends.
“It felt as if some people were walking around unaware of how serious their health conditions were,” he said, attributing the situation to systemic gaps in public healthcare delivery.
He pointed out that he had deliberately stayed away from frontline politics for years despite offers of appointments at both federal and state levels.
Lam-Adesina revealed that he declined a federal appointment during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and also turned down an invitation to join the cabinet of the late former Oyo State governor, Abiola Ajimobi, in order to avoid perceptions of political entitlement.
“For the last 13 years, since my father passed on, I have worked behind the scenes to promote unity in the party,” he said.
He added that while practising medicine in the United Kingdom, he frequently travelled home several times a year to maintain grassroots connections across the Ibadan, Ibarapa, Ogbomoso, Oke Ogun and Oyo zones.
Dr Lam-Adesina maintained that his aspiration is not about inheriting a political structure but about sustaining what he termed the “Lamist ideology”, a political tendency rooted in his father’s school of thought.
“I cannot deny where I come from, but this is not a chieftaincy title. It is about the future of our children,” he stated.
Commenting on the concluded state congress of the party in Ibadan, he commended the emergence of former deputy governor Moses Alake Adeyemo as state chairman, describing him as a unifier capable of stabilising the party after years of internal challenges.
He expressed confidence that the APC could present a formidable front in 2027 if leaders prioritise reconciliation and collective progress over factional interests.
While acknowledging that Nigerian politics has become increasingly monetised, Dr Lam-Adesina insisted that vision and narrative remain critical.
“In our culture, education led to responsibility. You went to school, got a job and took care of your parents in old age. Today, many leave the country because there are no jobs, and elderly parents are left behind,” he said.
Dr Lam-Adesina warned that failure to invest in quality education and job creation could expose the South-West to social instability, drawing parallels with security challenges experienced in parts of Northern Nigeria.
He also said his immediate focus would be consultations across party structures and traditional political blocs in the state.
Dr Lam-Adesina, however, described his ambition as a “natural progression” in leadership and promised an inclusive administration that would cater not only to the affluent but also to the vulnerable.