No fewer than nine aspirants under the Peoples Democratic Party have stepped forward in the race to succeed Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, ahead of the 2027 governorship election, as a high-level advisory council begins consultations to shape the party’s choice.
It was gathered that the council, chaired by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Bolaji Ayorinde, has commenced a series of engagements with aspirants in what insiders described as a strategic move to ensure transparency and inclusiveness in the emergence of the party’s flag bearer.
The initiative, backed by Makinde, is aimed at giving all interested contenders a level playing field to present their vision for the state, amid efforts to sustain the administration’s development agenda beyond 2027.
Sources confirmed that invitation letters were dispatched to all aspirants, many of whom have already appeared before the council.
Among those who have participated in the ongoing interactions are a member of the House of Representatives, Adedeji Olajide; Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board, Nureni Adeniran; former Commissioner for Finance, Budget and Planning, Bimbo Adekanmbi; Chairman of the Agribusiness Development Agency, Debo Akande; and the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin.
Speaking in Ibadan on Sunday, Ayorinde clarified that the exercise was not a screening process but an interactive session designed to assess the aspirants’ ideas and policy directions.
He said, “This is not a screening exercise. It is an interaction to understand their plans for the state. We want to avoid any form of imposition and ensure a fair process for all aspirants.
“With the cooperation of the governor, the council is engaging each aspirant individually. They are all credible and have demonstrated strong capacity.”
Ayorinde disclosed that nine aspirants had appeared before the council as of Saturday, noting that more were expected to participate in subsequent sessions.
He added that the council would forward its recommendations to the governor upon conclusion of the exercise, stressing that it had no constitutional power to disqualify any aspirant.
“The role of the council is purely advisory. We will submit our report to the governor, who remains committed to a transparent and equitable process,” he said.
The senior lawyer further expressed confidence that Makinde would widen consultations to include party leaders and traditional rulers before a final decision is made, to ensure broad acceptability of the eventual candidate.
According to him, the interaction process reflects a deliberate effort to deepen internal democracy within the party and prevent post-primary disputes.
He said, “We do not want a situation where whoever emerges is rejected by stakeholders. This process is part of our contribution to democratic development in the state.”
The PDP is currently the ruling party in Oyo State, and political observers say the emerging contest signals an early intensification of permutations ahead of the 2027 polls.
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