influential coalition of professionals and innovators based in Lagos, operating under the name Eko United, has publicly thrown its weight behind Dr. Olajide Adediran’s aspirations for the state’s governorship in the 2027 election. Dr. Adediran, popularly known as Jandor, is a prominent figure and Lead Visioner of the Lagos4Lagos Movement within the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The declaration of support was made on Tuesday during the official launch of a new platform, the “Progressive Lagos Initiative” (PLI), held in Victoria Island, Lagos. This comes as Jandor has previously made known his intention to contest on the APC ticket to succeed the incumbent, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, in the upcoming gubernatorial poll.
Speaking at the unveiling, Wole Oladundoye, the convener of Eko United, articulated the group’s motivation for establishing the initiative. He explained that the platform is designed to actualize the vision of a greater Lagos under the leadership of Adediran, whom they recognize as a courageous, visionary, and data-driven leader. Oladundoye stressed that the Progressive Lagos Initiative will function as a governance engine, bringing together professionals, technocrats, academics, innovators, and sector leaders to propose practical reforms for the state’s development.
Oladundoye addressed the audience, acknowledging that for decades, the political responsibility of sustaining democracy and leadership in Lagos has largely been shouldered by the grassroots. “They have shown up. They have defended the mandate. They have been the frontline of Lagos politics, passionately and consistently,” he noted. However, he declared that the time has come for the “elite class” the thinkers, builders, and innovators to step up and become co-architects of the collective future.
The mission of Eko United, described as a coalition of Lagos professionals and innovators driving progressive governance, is clear: to mobilize elite expertise, champion stability, competence, and visionary leadership to advance a smarter, more prosperous Lagos. The convener emphasized the necessity of ensuring that those who contribute most significantly to Lagos’s economic growth must also play a decisive role in its political direction. The PLI, therefore, is launched as a “knowledge powerhouse and a coalition of great minds who refuse to watch from the sidelines while Lagos advances into the future.”
Oladundoye recognized the state’s transformation into a global megacity, acknowledging that successive administrations have laid strong foundations. “Lagos is not stagnant,” he affirmed. However, rapid growth inevitably brings new complexities, bigger challenges, and higher expectations. He argued that for too long, the state’s brightest solutions have been excluded from the decision-making table, a trend the PLI aims to reverse by unleashing Lagos’s intellectual capital to shape its next phase of development.
In their extensive search for a leader whose alignment matched their vision, the group identified Dr. Olajide Adediran. They describe Jandor as a business-minded solution driver, a grassroots political force, and a unifier capable of bringing diverse Lagos interests together. The Eko United team formally met with Jandor to communicate their unanimous decision to adopt him as the key to actualizing the desired Lagos.
Jandor accepted their endorsement, predicated on two key conditions: that the PLI must also give resounding support to President Bola Tinubu’s potential re-election bid in 2027, and that the group must maintain unwavering loyalty to the APC structure, regardless of the outcome of the 2027 governorship primaries. The convener stated that they agreed to these terms, believing that “governance is not chaos; it is structure, stability, and smart leadership,” and that Jandor is the most compelling figure to implement Lagos’s next-level vision within that structure.
The call to action is directed at the professional class: “You power the economy, you build innovation, you sustain the city’s growth. Now, bring your expertise into governance. Join the Progressive Lagos Initiative.” The group views their mission as being “bigger than politics,” positioning themselves as builders of the policy engine for the next administration—a platform for a smarter, richer, and more globally competitive Lagos, shaped by its brightest minds. They confidently stated that with Jandor as the Chief Implementer, Lagos is set to rise with unstoppable momentum.
Acknowledging that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has yet to lift the ban on campaigns, Eko United clarifies that its current focus is sensitizing Lagos’s elite and professionals to prepare for the crucial civic assignment ahead. The message is a resounding one: the future is calling, the grassroots have done their part, and now it is the turn of the professionals. Readers can find more information about joining this movement on Zoyols Blog.
“Let your ideas roar louder than the traffic in Ojota, let your innovation shine brighter than the Lekki skyline, let your involvement be more visible than the shorelines of Ishagira,” the convener concluded. “Together, we will build a Lagos powered by intellect, strengthened by unity, and driven by visionary leadership. A Lagos that JANDOR will proudly govern come 2027.”
