At least 11 aspirants have purchased the expression of interest and nomination forms of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 governorship election in Oyo State.…....
The aspirants, who have all been screened by the party in Abuja, are expected to contest for the APC ticket as political activities gradually gather momentum in the state.
According to findings, eight of the aspirants are from Ibadan, the state capital, while two are from the Oke Ogun geopolitical zone. One aspirant is from Ogbomoso.
The development has intensified political discussions within the party, especially over zoning, consensus arrangement and the calibre of aspirants seeking to succeed Governor Seyi Makinde in 2027.
Ibadan-born Aspirants
The Ibadan-born aspirants in the race are Senator Sharafadeen Alli, a former Minister of Power, Mr Bayo Adelabu, Dr Adewale Kareem, Barrister Akeem Agbaje, and Engineer Akeem Alao.
Others are Dr Ayobami Lam-Adesina, Prince Asanke Asatola and Mr Ololade Usman.
The remaining aspirants are Senator Abdulfatai Buhari from Ogbomoso; Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin from Oke Ogun; and a former deputy governor of the state, Engineer Rauf Olaniyan, also from Oke Ogun.
The 11 aspirants are expected to slug it out for the party’s governorship ticket ahead of the election.
Five Zones In Oyo
Oyo State is made up of five major political zones spread across its 33 local government areas.
The zones are Ibadan, Ibarapa, Ogbomoso, Oke Ogun and Oyo.
Since the return to democratic rule in 1999, Ibadan has produced most of the governors of the state, except the late Adebayo Alao-Akala, who hailed from Ogbomoso.
The late Alhaji Lamidi Adesina, who governed the state between 1999 and 2003, was from Ibadan South-East Local Government Area.
The current Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rasidi Ladoja, who was governor between 2003 and 2007, is from Ibadan South-West, although he resides in Ibadan North Local Government Area.
Alao-Akala remains the only person from outside Ibadan to have occupied the governorship seat in the state since 1999.
He served as governor between 2007 and 2011 and hailed from Ogbomoso North Local Government Area.
The late Abiola Ajimobi, who ruled between 2011 and 2019, was from Ibadan South-East and lived in Ibadan South-West before his death in 2020.
Ajimobi also made history as the first governor of the state to win a second term.
The incumbent governor, Seyi Makinde, who is expected to complete his second term in 2027, hails from Ona Ara Local Government Area but votes in Ibadan North-East Local Government Area.
Against this background, the APC governorship race has again raised questions about whether the party will retain Ibadan’s dominance or look towards another zone.
It was further learnt that all the 11 aspirants had been screened by the APC.