Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan
The race to succeed Governor Seyi Makinde as the subsequent occupant of the Agodi Government House, Ibadan, on May 29, 2027, has develop into more and more fierce in the Pacesetter State, with no fewer than 16 political events presenting candidates for the governorship ballot scheduled for February 6, 2027, by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The gubernatorial candidates embrace Senator Sharafadeen Alli of the All Progressives Congress (APC); Barrister Hazeem Gbolarumi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); Hon. Bimbo Adekanmbi of the Allied People’s Movement (APM); Olooye Adegboyega Taofeek Adegoke of the African Democratic Congress (ADC); Yinusa Ayandare of the People’s Redemption Party (PRP); Olasupo Abdulsemiu of the Action Alliance Congress (AAC); Salami Gbolagade of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA); and Oriyomi Hamzat of Accord.
Others are Hassan Olanrewaju (ZLP); Kunle Olatunji (ADP); Kareem Sola (Labour Party); Tijani Akinbode (APP); Yusuf Adebola (NDC); Adebiyi Adedapo (NNPP); Taofeek Adedamola (NRM); and Taiwo Ibiyemi Otegbeye (NDP). With the governorship election lower than 100 days away, political observers in the state imagine that the race can be amongst 4 candidates: Hamzat, Adekanmbi, Alli and Adegoke.
Oriyomi Hamzat (Accord)
One of Hamzat’s biggest identifiable political belongings is his reputation as a broadcaster and founding father of Agidigbo 88.7 FM. While his Kokoro Alate programme has given him a recognisable public id, his broadcasting has centered on social injustice, hardship, group grievances and the issues of unusual folks.
He has additionally developed a public profile past standard celebration politics, along with his affect extending from Ibadan into different components of Oyo State, giving him an present relationship with sections of the voters that many standard politicians need to spend years cultivating.
Another energy of Hamzat is his media and communication expertise. Indeed, his broadcasting expertise supplies a longtime platform for speaking political messages, as he’s conversant in public persuasion and storytelling, explaining group grievances, producing public consideration, sustaining relationships with native audiences and responding to controversies.
Hamzat has positioned himself as somebody who speaks for unusual residents reasonably than established political elites, and this creates alternatives to attraction to teams that embrace merchants and artisans, industrial transport staff, younger folks, low-income households, folks dissatisfied with standard political management and communities that really feel uncared for by authorities.
However, his weaknesses embrace restricted expertise in authorities administration, as operating a radio station, mobilising public opinion and offering humanitarian help are totally different from managing a state authorities. Also, reputation could not translate into statewide votes. Indeed, there is a crucial distinction between having a well-liked radio programme and securing votes throughout all 33 native authorities areas of the state, as his public recognition is especially related to Ibadan and his broadcasting actions. One different main weak point he could take care of is his publicity to political confrontation, as his public and political actions have generally attracted controversy.
Olooye Adegboyega Taofeek Adegoke (ADC)
Adegoke is a enterprise government, accountant, philanthropist and Ibadan conventional chief. One of his strengths is his robust skilled and monetary administration background. As a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, with knowledgeable profession spanning Deloitte, Schlumberger and Oando, the place he served in senior monetary and government positions, he has a reputable foundation for discussing public monetary administration and will attraction to voters involved about authorities expenditure, accountability and income administration.
His philanthropic actions, which he has publicly mentioned, embrace offering help to widows, providing instructional awards, setting up school rooms in Iseyin and donating N20 million to the Faculty of Agriculture at Obafemi Awolowo University. These initiatives, which predate his governorship ambition, have helped set up his file of group engagement and involvement in schooling and social intervention.
Adegoke additionally has the benefit of with the ability to current himself as an alternative choice to established politicians, along with his company and philanthropic background offering a chance to develop a political id that’s not completely based mostly on standard profession politics. Indeed, this might attraction to voters searching for a distinct method to financial administration and governance. Similarly, his enterprise possession and financial networks may very well be a plus for the Ibadan-born conventional chief, as his enterprise pursuits span oil and gasoline, actual property, hospitality, broadcasting and different industrial actions. He is the proprietor of Solutions 93.9 FM in Ibadan.
However, for political observers, his weaknesses embrace restricted proof of statewide political constructions. While he has a visual Ibadan profile, a governorship election requires political organisation throughout all 33 native authorities areas, and his public profile doesn’t, by itself, set up the energy of his ward-level political constructions, relationships with influential political leaders exterior Ibadan, grassroots mobilisation networks and assist amongst established political blocs in Oke-Ogun, Ogbomoso, Oyo and Ibarapa.
Adegoke additionally lacks an in depth elected public workplace file, as there’s a distinction between managing a industrial organisation and governing a state with 33 native authorities areas, public-sector workers, instructional establishments, hospitals and first healthcare services, safety duties and a number of competing social and financial pursuits.
His political celebration motion and consistency could also be a minus for him, given his political journey, which has included the PDP, Accord, APC, a return to the PDP and now the ADC. This motion raises questions on his ideological consistency, celebration loyalty and long-term political commitments.
Senator Sharafadeen Alli (APC)
The strengths of the incumbent senator representing Oyo South Senatorial District, the most important district in phrases of voter inhabitants, embrace intensive expertise in authorities, APC institutional backing, expertise in political negotiation and robust political roots in Ibadan. His pedigree in authorities consists of serving as a former Executive Chairman of Ibadan North Local Government, Secretary to the Oyo State Government, Chief of Staff to Governor Rasidi Ladoja and Chairman of Odu’a Investment Company. There is little question that this expertise offers him familiarity with authorities administration, political negotiations, public establishments and legislative processes.
In phrases of his robust political roots in Ibadan, his background in Ibadan North and political networks throughout the whole Ibadanland present a longtime platform for political mobilisation. He additionally has conventional and group connections that may facilitate engagement with influential native stakeholders.
His emergence because the APC’s 2027 governorship candidate gave him entry to the celebration’s formal construction. Indeed, there have additionally been public endorsements from distinguished APC figures, together with South-West celebration leaders. Also, his victory in the 2023 senatorial election may very well be a plus for him. He gained the 2023 Oyo South senatorial election with 111,513 votes, defeating the PDP candidate, Joseph Tegbe, the current Minister of Power, who acquired 92,481 votes.
In phrases of expertise in political negotiation, his political profession has seen him work with totally different political pursuits and take part in alliances. In a politically numerous state equivalent to Oyo, negotiation with conventional leaders, celebration elders, former officeholders and group organisations is a crucial facet of gubernatorial politics.
However, managing the APC’s inside divisions may show a serious problem for Alli. His emergence because the celebration’s candidate didn’t finish the interior contest, as some aspirants, together with former Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, rejected the end result of the May 2026 governorship main, alleging irregularities.
While numerous measures have been put in place to reconcile the aggrieved inside the celebration, it stays to be seen whether or not Alli can flip his main victory into real unity throughout the celebration.
For political observers, one of many weaknesses which will path Alli is the burden of the APC’s nationwide political picture. As the face of the celebration in the state, Alli may also be related to the efficiency of the President Bola Tinubu administration, with points equivalent to inflation, unemployment, gas costs, electrical energy prices and the overall financial scenario anticipated to be marketing campaign points in the state.
The problem of increasing past Ibadan may additionally work towards him. While Ibadan, the state capital, is politically essential, Oyo State has different vital political blocs, equivalent to Ogbomoso, Oke-Ogun, Oyo city and its surrounding communities, and Ibarapa. There is little question that Alli will want a political construction that instructions significant assist throughout these areas.
Bimbo Adekanmbi (APM)
Adekanmbi, the Allied People’s Movement (APM) candidate for the 2027 Oyo State governorship election, is coming into the political contest with a mixture of technocratic credentials, expertise in authorities and backing from Governor Seyi Makinde.
His strengths embrace robust skilled and technocratic credentials, Governor Makinde’s political backing and connections with the Ajimobi political institution. Adekanmbi’s credentials, which embrace being a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (FCCA) and holding an MBA in Strategy and Finance from Liverpool John Moores University, are his most identifiable belongings, alongside skilled expertise involving worldwide organisations and company administration.
His skilled background supplies a platform for discussing public expenditure, taxation, funding, income era, budgeting and financial improvement. For a state dealing with challenges involving unemployment, infrastructure financing, agricultural improvement and industrialisation, these are related areas of expertise.
Governor Makinde’s endorsement is a major characteristic of his candidacy, whereas the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin, additionally led lawmakers in endorsing him.
This relationship supplies a foundation for engagement with established political stakeholders, constructing relationships with elected officers, presenting a continuity agenda and accessing networks related to the incumbent administration, amongst others.
His eight years in the Ajimobi administration give him a separate political id past his present relationship with Makinde, as this might present alternatives to interact people and networks related to the previous APC administration.
Indeed, he probably has a platform to bridge relationships between totally different political generations in Oyo State.
Adekanmbi served below the late Governor Abiola Ajimobi as Deputy Chief of Staff and Commissioner for Finance, Budget and Planning. This offers him familiarity with the workings of the Oyo State civil service, price range preparation, cupboard administration and authorities monetary administration. He may also draw on his expertise of working inside totally different political administrations to debate institutional continuity and classes from earlier governments.
However, the notion that he’s Makinde’s most well-liked successor is actually his most important weak point. While Makinde’s assist offers him political visibility, it additionally creates a troublesome query: Is Bimbo Adekanmbi searching for to develop into governor in his personal proper, or is he perceived because the candidate of the outgoing governor?
For political observers, whereas his earlier authorities expertise is a bonus, it additionally exposes him to scrutiny. As Commissioner for Finance, Budget and Planning between 2015 and 2019, he could face questions concerning the fiscal selections and monetary administration of the Ajimobi administration. Indeed, critics could increase points regarding authorities debt and monetary obligations, staff’ salaries and pension commitments, price range implementation and income era.
Though these questions don’t set up private wrongdoing, they’re respectable problems with public accountability {that a} former finance commissioner could also be anticipated to handle.
The political journey of Adekanmbi may also come below scrutiny. His involvement in the APC, unsuccessful 2023 Oyo South senatorial bid, subsequent motion into the PDP and emergence because the APM’s governorship candidate could entice questions on political consistency.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the competition can be decided not merely by the candidates’ particular person credentials and political affect, however by their capacity to transform these benefits into broad-based assist throughout Oyo State’s numerous political constituencies. Beyond celebration affiliations and private reputation, voters can be on the lookout for credible management, a transparent governance agenda and the capability to handle the state’s urgent financial and developmental challenges.
