As political momentum builds ahead of the 2027 gubernatorial election in Oyo State, retired Colonel Gbenga Adegbola, a frontline All Progressives Congress (APC) aspirant, embarked on a strategic political tour of the Ogbomoso zone on Thursday, engaging traditional rulers and party stakeholders in a bid to strengthen grassroots support.
The highlight of the tour was a courtesy visit to the Soun of Ogbomosoland, His Imperial Majesty Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye, and a closed-door meeting with former Senator Ayoade Adeseun, who declared that the time has come for political power to shift away from Ibadan, the state capital, to other long-marginalized zones.
Speaking during Adegbola’s visit to his residence, Senator Adeseun, who represented Oyo Central in the Senate between 2011 and 2015, decried what he described as Governor Seyi Makinde’s lopsided development agenda. He criticized the concentration of state resources in Ibadan at the expense of other regions such as Oke-Ogun, Ibarapa, and Ogbomoso.
“It is wrong to focus on 11 local governments and neglect 22 others. Let’s streamline our efforts to support one candidate in our party. And we should support whoever emerges as candidate to make our party victorious in the next governorship election,” Adeseun stated.
He also challenged the popular narrative that Ibadan holds 52% of the state’s voting population.
“That is a fallacy. Ibadan cannot have more than 30% of Oyo State’s voting strength. People from Ogbomoso, Oke-Ogun, and other regions reside in Ibadan. Look at Ekiti, Ondo, and Osun—none has had a governor from the capital city. It’s time Oyo State followed suit,” he asserted.
While expressing admiration for Minister of Power, Bayo Adelabu, Adeseun maintained that the next governor should emerge from outside Ibadan to ensure balanced development across the state.
Colonel Adegbola, who recently joined the APC from his ward in Saki, said his aspiration is rooted in a desire to serve all regions of the state. He reiterated the importance of security, equity, and rural development in his agenda.
“Since joining APC, I’ve toured Oke-Ogun, Oyo, Ibarapa, and now Ogbomoso. I believe in a united Oyo State. In the military, we lived communally. I deeply respect Ogbomoso and its people — everyone from this land I served with was trustworthy. That makes this zone very special to me,” Adegbola said.
He further stressed the need for traditional institutions to be involved in policymaking and security coordination, criticizing the current administration’s disregard for royal fathers.
During his visit, Adegbola met with several key traditional rulers including:
The Alajaawa of Ajaawa, Oba Thompson Adeyeye Oyetunji (Olumole II)
The Olopete of Opete, Oba Samuel Bamigboye
The Onpetu of Ijeru, Oba Sunday Oladapo Oyediran
The Olu of Obada, Oja-Oba, Oba Samuel Oyekunle
The Soun of Ogbomosoland, Oba Ghandi Olaoye, in his remarks, praised Adegbola’s foresight and early declaration.
“Oyo is a complex state. To govern it, one needs strategic planning and broad consultation. I am glad you’re not a last-minute aspirant. Oke-Ogun has long been excluded. Let’s see what the future holds,” the monarch said.
Adegbola was accompanied by party loyalists from Saki, Oyo, Ogbomoso, Ajaawa, Opete, and other communities across the Oyo North Senatorial District.
Both Adeseun and the Soun emphasized the need for political unity within the APC, urging the people of Oke-Ogun and other zones to rally behind a single, viable candidate to challenge the Ibadan-dominant status quo.
With political alignments already taking shape, Adegbola’s Ogbomoso tour and the growing call for power rotation underscore the intensifying build-up to what promises to be a fiercely contested 2027 governorship race in Oyo State.
