One of the governorship aspirants ahead of the forthcoming 2027 general elections, Hon. Adejumobi Samuel, has confirmed that Governor Seyi Makinde will be on the ballot as is set to formally declare his presidential ambition on Thursday.
This is coming amid heightened speculations and rumors of a broad-based political realignment involving the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM) in Oyo state.
Adejumobi, popularly known as Agbarapo, who is currently the Special Adviser on Legislative Matters to governor Makinde and formally Majority Leader of the Oyo state House of Assembly, confirmed the development to Westernmirror.com.ng on Monday night shortly after an expanded consultative meeting held at Makinde’s Kolapo Ishola private residence with all aspirants into various elective offices in attendance.
The declaration, westernmirror.com.ng exclusively gathered, is scheduled to take place at the historic Mapo Hall during a “Unity Mega Rally” convened under what organisers described as a “Grand Alliance” between the PDP and APM.
The rally, according to campaign posters already circulating across Ibadan and other parts of the state, is expected to draw thousands of political loyalists, party stakeholders, youth groups, market associations and supporters from across the South-West and beyond.
Agbarapo also described the development as as a major political turning point in Oyo’s evolving succession politics.
Aspirants within the emerging political alignment were also said to have unanimously endorsed the former Finance Commissioner under the administration of Makinde’s predecessor, Bimbo Adekanbi, as the consensus governorship candidate on the platform of the APM for the 2027 governorship election in Oyo State.
Agbarapo so disclosed that the endorsement followed weeks of closed-door consultations among influential political blocs loyal to Governor Makinde, especially amid intensifying conversations around succession and continuity of the administration’s sustainable development policies beyond 2027.
The Atisbo local government born governor’s aide said the adoption and ratification of Adekanbi by all the aspirants was aimed at preventing internal fragmentation and ensuring what they termed “a smooth transition framework” capable of sustaining the developmental agenda initiated under the Makinde administration.
Though the Oyo State governor has repeatedly maintained that discussions around 2027 should not distract governance, Agbarapo said Thursday’s rally will finally provide clarity on months of speculation surrounding his national political ambitions.
This online newspaper understands that supporters of the governor have continued to mount pressure on him to seek higher office, citing his infrastructural projects, education reforms, road expansion initiatives, agribusiness investments and growing political influence within the PDP as reasons for a possible presidential bid.
Agbarapo, while commending governor Seyi Makinde, for what he termed inclusivity said the meeting has further engendered equal sense of belonging among all aspirants and stakeholders seeking various elective offices on the platform of APM.
He confirmed that aspirants and stakeholders have unanimously committed to a the success of 2027 general elections for consolidation and continuity of the sustainable development agenda under Makinde’s Omituntun 2.0.