The race for the 2027 governorship election in Oyo State may be gathering steam, but the dust is far from settled as Gov. Seyi Makinde has not endorsed any candidate to succeed him, according to his media aide, Dr Suleimon Olanrewaju.
In a statement released on Thursday in Ibadan, Olanrewaju, who serves as the governor’s Special Adviser on Media, poured cold water on swirling social media claims that Makinde had settled for Mr Bimbo Adekanmbi as his preferred successor.
The speculation had spread like wildfire across social platforms late Wednesday, with reports alleging that the governor had already handed the political baton to Adekanmbi ahead of the 2027 contest.
Dismissing the reports, Olanrewaju said Makinde was still holding consultations across different quarters and would unveil his preferred candidate when the time was ripe.
“The governor will publicly announce his preferred governorship candidate once consultations are concluded,” he said.
Adekanmbi, who previously served as Commissioner for Finance during the administration of late former Governor Abiola Ajimobi, has continued to maintain a visible presence in Oyo’s political and public service landscape.
Earlier in 2025, Makinde appointed him to chair the committee supervising the upgrade of the Ibadan Airport, one of the administration’s signature infrastructure projects.
The appointment further fuelled perceptions of Adekanmbi’s growing influence within the governor’s circle and strengthened talks linking him to the state’s 2027 political equation.
Political watchers say the rumour mill surrounding Adekanmbi’s alleged emergence has already stirred conversations within the ruling PDP and opposition camps alike, as political alignments continue to gather momentum ahead of the next governorship election.
There have also been murmurs in political circles suggesting that Makinde could unveil his preferred candidate and possibly a new political platform before the weekend.
