The unfolding succession politics in Oyo State has triggered what analysts now describe as the **Makinde–Adekanmbi paradox**, a growing contradiction at the centre of Governor Seyi Makinde’s political legacy and his emerging succession strategy.
The controversy stems from the elevation of Bimbo Adekanmbi—a former Commissioner for Finance under the late Governor Abiola Ajimobi—as a leading figure in discussions around who may succeed Makinde in 2027.
When Makinde assumed office in 2019, his administration publicly accused the Ajimobi government of financial mismanagement, including alleged last-minute withdrawals from state accounts and claims of a severely depleted treasury.
At the centre of that administration’s fiscal operations was Adekanmbi, who oversaw the Ministry of Finance and Budget during the period now repeatedly referenced in those early allegations.
However, political developments ahead of the 2027 elections show a sharp reversal in tone. Adekanmbi has since emerged as one of the prominent contenders within the succession conversation and, according to multiple political reports, has received tacit endorsement within Makinde’s political structure.
This shift has raised questions among political observers about consistency in the framing of past governance assessments versus present-day political alliances.
The succession debate has also exposed divisions within the ruling political structure. Reports indicate that a 21-member stakeholder panel previously rejected Adekanmbi in favour of another aspirant, reflecting internal resistance to his candidacy despite his rising political profile.
While some factions within the state’s political establishment describe him as a technocrat with administrative depth, others view his emergence as politically sensitive given his role in the previous administration that Makinde once heavily criticised.
Supporters of Adekanmbi argue that his experience in public finance and governance positions him as a stabilising “bridge figure” capable of appealing across party lines and administrative blocs.
His role in recent state assignments and his increasing visibility within political consultations have further strengthened his profile as a viable successor option in Oyo’s evolving power structure.
However, critics argue that his elevation creates a political contradiction: how does a figure previously embedded in a system described as financially problematic become a preferred option within the same political establishment that once challenged that system?
The Makinde–Adekanmbi paradox is now shaping broader debate in Oyo politics:
* Were the early post-2019 financial allegations a full institutional indictment or a transitional political narrative?
* Has Adekanmbi been politically rehabilitated through performance and alliances, or was the earlier framing overstated?
* And what does this shift say about continuity, accountability, and political messaging in Oyo State governance?
As succession negotiations intensify ahead of 2027, the answers to these questions remain politically sensitive—and largely unresolved.
For now, the paradox sits at the heart of Oyo’s evolving power structure: a clash between past political narratives and present strategic realities.
