OYO 2027 Guber: The 10 persons to watch

Given Ibadan’s dominance in Oyo State politics, the leading political parties are expected to select their 2027 gubernatorial candidates from the ancient town. Here are some of the leading figures from Ibadan across the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) and the emerging Social Democratic Party (SDP).

SDP – Teslim Folarin
Amidst the ongoing realignments across the political divide, the Social Democratic Party in Oyo State may have to present Ibadan-born two-time governorship candidate Oloye Teslim Folarin as the party’s 2027 flag bearer.

After losing out in Oyo APC in the aftermath of the 2023 election fallout, the three-term senator and ex-senate leader has been holding talks with the SDP’s top echelon. Senator Folarin is expected to team up with lawyer and Ogbomoso-born former majority leader in the House of Representatives, Hon. Mulikat Adeola Akande, who moved to the SDP, following the sudden frosty relationship between the former federal legislator and Oyo Governor Seyi Makinde after the 2019 polls.

Oyo APC – Bayo Adelabu
An experienced politician, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, the Minister of Power, is a top contender. Adelabu, who is from Ibadan, was the candidate of the APC in 2019 and the Accord Party flag bearer in 2023.

From being a godson to one of the kingmakers in Oyo State politics, the late Alhaji Azeez Arisekola Alao, Adelabu enjoys the goodwill of notable political bigwigs within the APC as he waits in the wings.

Sarafadeen Abiodun Alli
An ally of ex-governor Rasidi Ladoja, Senator Sarafadeen Alli served as secretary to the Oyo State Government and chief of staff to Ladoja.

Alli was the governorship candidate of the Zenith Labour Party in 2019. Currently represents Oyo South Senatorial District; Senator Alli’s potential to give Adelabu a run for his money is huge. He too hails from Ibadan.

Engr. Oyedele Hakeem Alao
Relatively new in Oyo State politics, the Oman-based civil and structural engineer successfully registered his name in the minds of the people with his “Allow Alao” slogan as the gubernatorial candidate of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) in 2019.

Engr. Oyedele was also an APC governorship aspirant in 2023 and may yet jostle for the governorship ticket in 2027.

Senator Fatai Buhari

Though not from Ibadan, Senator Abdulfatai Omotayo Buhari, representing Oyo North Senatorial District in the Senate, is an experienced politician worth his onions.

First elected in 2015 and re-elected in 2019 and 2023, the Ogbomoso-born federal lawmaker had previously served as a member of the House of Representatives for Ogbomoso North, Ogbomoso South and Ori Ire Federal Constituencies.

A former commissioner for local government and chieftaincy matters in Oyo State, Senator Buhari is a good fit should Oyo APC zone the governorship to Oyo North.

Governor Makinde’s influence, how strong?
With no PDP senator in the National Assembly and erstwhile powerful party bigwigs out of relevance, Governor Makinde faces no opposition or strong challenge to his authority and leadership in the party.

As a first step to removing obstacles that could hinder the emergence of his preferred candidate, to be unveiled in 2026, the governor has vowed to deny support to any candidate above 52 years of age.

Governor Makinde is thus poised to exploit the age limit to his advantage, deploying it to shut the door against the governorship ambitions of aspirants perceived as experienced and influential and capable of thwarting the realisation of the governor’s 2027 succession plans.

Oyo PDP – Engr. Dotun Sanusi
The first casualty of the governor’s age limit was Ibadan-born business mogul Chief Dotun Sanusi, who, yielding to pressures from party faithfuls, plunged into the race but later withdrew after Governor Makinde announced the age barrier.

The 56-year-old governorship hopeful attributed his exit to significant opposition to his political ambition.

Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja
Though he has a smooth working relationship with Governor Seyi Makinde, Ibadan-born former deputy governor and ex-Nigerian ambassador to Jordan, now PDP Deputy National Chairman (South),

Hon. Taofeek Arapaja may not count on Governor Makinde’s support should he decide to run in 2027.

Joseph Tegbe

Mr Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe, former APC guber aspirant in 2019 and Oyo South senatorial candidate of the PDP in 2023, would also be affected by Governor Makinde’s age barometer.

How 59-year-old Tegbe, appointed the Director-General and Global Liaison for the Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership, reacts to the development could be crucial for his political future.

Makinde’s preferred candidate
One man to watch is a former member of the Oyo State Executive Council from 2011 to 2019. He was deputy chief of staff and later commissioner for finance and budget planning during ex-governor Abiola Ajimobi’s administration, Hon. Abimbola Adekanmbi, a relatively young administrator with backgrounds in accounting and business engineering.Hon. Adekanmbi was an aspirant for Oyo South Senatorial District in the 2023 election under the APC.

In what appears to be a litmus test for the Ibadan-born technocrat, Governor Makinde, appointed Adekanmbi Chairman of the 11-member committee to oversee the upgrade of the Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport, Alakia, Ibadan, to international standard.

Why the Ibadan factor is so strong
As posited, the leading political parties are likely to choose their flag bearers from Ibadan in 2027 due to the town’s overriding influence over Oyo State politics. With a voting strength of over 50 per cent, the people of Ibadan have continued to retain the number one spot in successive governorship elections since the return to democratic rule in 1999, producing four out of the five governors to date, making Ibadan the most formidable bloc among the Oyo, Ogbomoso, Oke Ogun and Ibarapa zones.

But despite repeated calls for a power shift to Oke Ogun, the status quo will likely remain in 2027.