Residents of Ayetero and Lafenwa communities in Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State have issued a strong warning to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), threatening to massively reject the party and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 general elections if urgent steps are not taken to address the deplorable state of roads and the total absence of basic amenities in the area.
The angry residents, who spoke during a fact-finding visit by Fresh Facts Magazine, lamented years of abandonment by government at all levels, describing their communities as “forgotten settlements” despite their strategic economic importance as border communities linking Ogun State with Lagos State.
The communities, located along the Ayobo-Lafenwa-Ayetero axis, rely heavily on the only major access road connecting them to Ayobo in Lagos and onward to Sango-Ota. However, years of neglect, erosion and poor drainage have reduced the road to a death trap, leaving residents stranded and economic activities paralysed.
During the visit, Fresh Facts Magazine observed several vehicles trapped in muddy sections of the road, while commuters, traders and school children struggled through pools of dirty floodwater. Commercial motorcyclists were also seen battling dangerous portions of the road, with many passengers forced to disembark and walk long distances.
Residents said the road, which ordinarily should provide a smooth and shorter route from Lagos to Sango-Ota within about 20 minutes, has now deteriorated to the extent that commuters spend between four and five hours navigating the failed sections.
The situation, according to them, becomes worse during rainfall as many parts of the road become completely impassable.
Speaking passionately on behalf of community leaders, Alhaji Shola Ogundipe accused politicians of repeatedly using the people for electoral gains without fulfilling campaign promises.
“For years, politicians have continued to deceive us with promises during campaigns. Immediately elections are over, they disappear and abandon us. We are human beings and Nigerian citizens too. We deserve better living conditions,” he said.
Ogundipe said the frustration among residents had reached a boiling point, warning that the communities were prepared to mobilise massively against the APC in 2027 if nothing changes.
“This suffering is becoming unbearable. We supported APC and voted massively in previous elections believing things would improve under President Tinubu because this axis is close to Lagos and strategically important. Unfortunately, our condition has become worse,” he lamented.
He continued: “This time, we are fully prepared politically. If government continues to ignore us, we will campaign against APC from house to house. We will mobilise our children, families, friends and associates across Ogun and Lagos states to vote for opposition parties. We will even contribute financially to support any serious opposition candidate willing to rescue us from this neglect.”
According to him, residents no longer care about political promises but want visible development and practical governance.
“We are not asking for luxury. Give us motorable roads, healthcare centres, clean water and electricity. Is that too much for Nigerian citizens to ask for?” he queried.
A youth leader in the community, Fagbemi Oladele, described the road crisis as a major threat to economic survival and security in the area.
Oladele explained that many residents now spend huge amounts daily on transportation because commercial drivers avoid the route.
“Transport fares have skyrocketed because drivers are damaging their vehicles on these roads. Some drivers no longer come into the communities at all. Residents now trek long distances before getting transportation,” he said.
He disclosed that students and workers are among the worst affected, especially during the rainy season.
“Children go to school dirty because they have to pass through muddy roads. Workers resume offices late after spending several hours trying to leave the communities. Sometimes employers don’t even believe the stories anymore,” he lamented.
Oladele further revealed that insecurity has also increased because criminals now take advantage of the isolated condition of the road.
“When vehicles break down or get stuck at night, passengers become vulnerable to attacks. There are portions of the road nobody wants to pass after dark,” he added.
An Igbo businessman and resident, Chief Anyanwu Osondu, said businesses within the communities were gradually collapsing due to poor accessibility.
According to him, many traders and investors who once saw the communities as emerging commercial hubs are now relocating to safer and more accessible locations.
“I have lived and done business here for years and I can confidently say this is the worst situation we have ever experienced. Customers can no longer access our shops easily. Suppliers avoid coming here because of the bad roads,” he said.
Osondu explained that the economic losses suffered by traders have become enormous.
“Imagine transporting goods and half of them get damaged because vehicles fall inside potholes or get trapped in mud for hours. Sometimes perishable goods spoil before they even reach the market,” he lamented.
He said despite the huge population in the communities, government presence remains practically nonexistent.
“There is no functional healthcare centre here. There is no government water supply. The drainage system is terrible. Even the market infrastructure is poor. We are simply abandoned,” he stated.
A female trader, Mrs. Kemi Adeyemi, who sells foodstuffs in the area, broke down emotionally while narrating how the poor road network has affected women and children.
“When pregnant women want to go to hospitals, it becomes a serious challenge. Some women deliver babies under risky conditions because vehicles cannot move easily during heavy rainfall,” she said.
She added that many traders now lose customers daily because people avoid coming to the communities.
“We are suffering seriously. Government should have mercy on us. We cannot continue like this,” she appealed.
Another resident, Mr. Abdulrasheed Bello, criticised what he described as the concentration of development in major cities while rural and border communities continue to suffer neglect.
“This road is economically important because it connects Ogun and Lagos states. If properly constructed, it will reduce traffic and boost commercial activities. But government has abandoned it completely,” he said.
Fresh Facts Magazine gathered that residents recently contributed money through communal efforts to carry out palliative repairs on portions of the failed road. Sand, stones and laterite were reportedly supplied by residents in an attempt to make the road motorable.
However, community members lamented that the intervention was only temporary as heavy rainfall had already begun washing away the repairs.
“We cannot continue doing government’s work with our little resources,” a resident said.
The magazine’s findings also revealed that beyond the road crisis, the communities suffer severe infrastructural deficits. There are inadequate schools, poor electricity supply, lack of potable water, poor drainage systems and insufficient healthcare facilities.
Residents expressed disappointment that despite repeated appeals to government authorities and elected representatives, little or nothing had been done to address their plight.
Several residents warned that the growing frustration across the communities could translate into serious political consequences for the APC during future elections.
“The anger is real,” a resident declared. “People are hungry, frustrated and tired of neglect. Politicians should not wait until election season before remembering us.”
The residents therefore appealed to the Ogun State Government, the Federal Government and relevant intervention agencies to urgently rehabilitate the Ayobo-Lafenwa-Ayetero road and provide critical social amenities before the situation worsens further.
They maintained that only immediate and visible action from government could restore their confidence in the ruling party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
