By Sulaimon Olanrewaju
The political realities heading into the 2027 governorship election suggest that Honourable Bimbo Adekanmbi, candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), holds one of the strongest hands in the race. Unlike aspirants whose appeal rests largely on offices previously occupied or endorsements secured from political elite, Adekanmbi's candidacy is anchored on a central question that is likely to define the election: who is best positioned to sustain and expand the gains recorded in Oyo State over the last seven and a half years?
That is precisely where Kehinde Olaosebikan's argument begins to unravel. In his eagerness to market Senator Sharafadeen Alli as a formidable candidate, he overlooks the most important lesson of Oyo politics: voters are often less interested in political mythology than in practical outcomes and future possibilities.
The first weakness in Olaosebikan's argument is that it collapses under the weight of its own evidence. After reminding readers that every governorship election in Oyo State since 1999 has been fiercely contested, coalition-driven and largely unpredictable, he somehow concludes that the 2027 election is already settled. Such a conclusion is supported neither by history nor by present political realities.
The truth is that Oyo State has never been a fertile ground for political coronations. The state has repeatedly defied political calculations, humbled powerful establishments and demonstrated that voters reserve the final right to decide who governs them. The suggestion that any candidate has effectively secured victory long before the election is not an objective political assessment; it is, at best, an exercise in electoral optimism.
Even more curious is Olaosebikan's attempt to diminish Governor Seyi Makinde's victories in 2019 and 2023 by attributing them primarily to coalitions and APC missteps. Such an interpretation overlooks an obvious fact: coalitions succeed only when they align with public sentiment.
If Makinde lacked public acceptance, no coalition would have delivered victory in 2019. More importantly, if voters were dissatisfied with his administration, internal disagreements within the APC would not have produced the emphatic mandate he secured in 2023. Elections ultimately belong to voters, not political strategists.
This brings us to another weakness in the article: the suggestion that qualifications and political experience alone determine electoral outcomes.
Senator Alli has served at multiple levels of government and held several important public offices. However, being in public office is not an achievement in itself. Oyo people have never elected governors simply on the basis of titles or résumés. Leadership is measured by demonstrable results, vision and a candidate's ability to inspire confidence in the future.
The central question before voters in 2027 is straightforward: who can consolidate progress and move Oyo State forward?
That question is where Hon. Bimbo Adekanmbi becomes particularly relevant.
Unlike candidates whose strongest arguments are rooted in past positions and long political careers, Adekanmbi represents a generation focused on sustaining and improving ongoing development. His appeal lies not in nostalgia, but in continuity and renewal.
Beyond that, Adekanmbi possesses a quality that is often underestimated in political analysis but frequently decisive in electoral contests: his ability to connect naturally with people across all social strata. Whether engaging traditional rulers and business leaders, interacting with professionals and civil servants, or relating with artisans, traders, market women, youths and grassroots communities, he brings an accessibility and humility that make him relatable to ordinary people. In a state where elections are ultimately decided by voters rather than political elites, that ability to build genuine connections across social, economic and generational lines may prove to be one of his greatest political assets.
Equally important is Adekanmbi's capacity to attract support across the length and breadth of Oyo State. Unlike candidates whose appeal may be concentrated within particular political, religious or geographical constituencies, Adekanmbi has cultivated relationships that cut across faiths, communities, professional groups, ethnic groups, and all the zones in the state.
His acceptance extends beyond partisan boundaries, drawing support from young people and elders, urban and rural populations, business leaders and grassroots communities alike.
In a state as politically diverse as Oyo, no governorship candidate can succeed by relying on a single bloc of voters. Elections are won by candidates who build broad coalitions across Ibadan, Ogbomoso, Oke-Ogun, Oyo and Ibarapa; across Christians, Muslims and traditional believers; and across the various social and economic interests that make up the state's population. Adekanmbi's ability to command goodwill across these divides gives him a distinct advantage in a statewide contest.
Indeed, one of the most compelling aspects of his candidacy is that he is increasingly viewed not as the candidate of a particular zone, faith or interest group, but as a bridge-builder capable of uniting different constituencies behind a common vision for development. At a time when voters are seeking leadership that can preserve stability while sustaining progress, that broad acceptability may prove to be one of the most decisive factors in the race.
This statewide appeal is complemented by a distinctive professional advantage. As a Chartered Accountant with extensive international experience, Adekanmbi played a key role in developing and strengthening financial management systems within Birmingham City Council, the largest local government authority in Europe. That experience exposed him to modern public-sector governance, financial accountability, institutional management and service delivery at a scale not found among others in the Oyo State governorship race.
At a time when governance is increasingly measured by fiscal discipline, prudent resource management, institutional efficiency and measurable outcomes, such experience is more than an addition to a résumé.
It demonstrates an ability not only to participate in government but also to design, strengthen and manage the systems that make government work effectively. In a contest where competence, accountability and preparedness will matter greatly to voters, this background further strengthens Adekanmbi's credentials as a candidate equipped for the demands of twenty-first-century governance.
More importantly, Olaosebikan exaggerates the electoral significance of endorsements and defections. Political actors may switch parties, but voters do not automatically move with them.
Goodwill cannot be transferred by declaration. Public trust cannot be reassigned through endorsements. Every election cycle produces examples of heavily endorsed candidates who fail to convince the electorate.
The claim that certain political figures once worked with Governor Makinde and now support Senator Alli does not automatically translate into votes. What ultimately matters is how voters assess the performance of the current administration and who they trust to protect and improve upon its achievements.
In that regard, the developmental record of the last seven and a half years cannot easily be dismissed. Across Oyo State, voters can point to major road infrastructure projects, significant growth in internally generated revenue, increased investment in agribusiness, expanded healthcare services, recruitment of teachers and healthcare personnel, and efforts to strengthen institutions and improve the ease of doing business.
These realities, irrespective of defections or endorsements, will inevitably shape the political conversation heading into 2027.
And that conversation favours a candidate who can credibly argue for continuity while offering fresh perspectives.
That is perhaps Adekanmbi's greatest political advantage. He is positioned to benefit from public approval of ongoing developmental initiatives while simultaneously presenting himself as a leader capable of bringing new ideas, fresh energy and innovation to governance.
For that reason, Olaosebikan's premature declaration of victory is misplaced. Oyo elections have never been decided by inevitability. They have been decided by persuasion, mobilisation and voter judgment. The state's political history teaches a simple lesson: elections are rarely won in advance, and no candidate should mistake enthusiasm within party circles for a statewide mandate.
The real question facing Oyo voters is not who has accumulated the most endorsements or occupied the most offices. It is who can preserve developmental momentum while providing fresh leadership for the future.
On that question, Hon. Bimbo Adekanmbi presents a compelling answer.
For all the talk of endorsements, structures and political calculations, the real contest will be between continuity and disruption, between measurable progress and untested promises. If that becomes the defining choice before Oyo voters, then Bimbo Adekanmbi enters the race holding the strongest cards.
Dr Olanrewaju is the Special Adviser (Media) to the Governor of Oyo State
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