The 2027 Oyo State governorship race has taken a fresh twist following the reported publication by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of particulars of 16 governorship candidates contesting the election.
Interestingly, Accord Party is missing from the reported list, while its widely publicised candidate, broadcaster Oriyomi AbdulRahmon Hamzat, is also absent, raising fresh questions about the party’s disputed governorship ticket.
According to a report on the latest INEC display, the particulars of the 16 candidates were published on August 29, 2026, ahead of the governorship election scheduled for 2027.
Among those listed is Senator Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli, who is flying the flag of the All Progressives Congress (APC), while Olooye Adegboyega Taofeek Adegoke is listed as the candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Hazeem Gbolarumi is listed for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), while Abimbola Adekanmbi is representing the Allied Peoples Movement (APM). Yinusa Kazeem Ayandare is listed for the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), with Olasupo Olalekan Abdulsemiu representing the African Action Congress (AAC).
Other candidates on the reported list include Salami Gbolagade of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Aderoju Okunlade Michael of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Hassan Waheed Olanrewaju of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) and Olatunji Kunle James of the Action Democratic Party (ADP).
Also listed are Kareem Thomson Sola of the Labour Party (LP), Tijani Ismaila Akinbode of the Action Peoples Party (APP), Yusuf Akim Adebola of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Adebiyi Adedapo of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Afolabi Taofeek Adedamola of the National Rescue Movement (NRM) and Taiwo Ibiyemi Otegbeye of the National Democratic Party (NDP).
Accord Ticket Fuels Fresh Questions
Hamzat’s absence is particularly significant given the attention surrounding the Accord governorship ticket in recent months.
One faction of the party had announced Hamzat as its candidate after a governorship primary conducted in May, with reports indicating that the exercise was monitored by electoral officials.
However, another faction of Accord rejected his emergence and backed Olakunle Busari, popularly known as Gudugudu, as its preferred candidate.
Busari’s camp subsequently challenged Hamzat’s nomination in court, asking the Federal High Court in Ibadan to intervene in the dispute and direct INEC on the rightful candidate of the party.
With neither Hamzat nor Busari appearing among the 16 candidates in the latest reported display, the Accord controversy appears far from settled.
The development also means that claims about who will eventually fly the Accord flag in the 2027 Oyo governorship election will need to be treated with caution until the electoral commission or the courts provide further clarity.
ADC Ticket Takes Another Turn
The ADC entry on the reported INEC list is another development likely to attract considerable political attention.
Olooye Adegboyega Taofeek Adegoke is listed as the party’s governorship candidate, despite earlier reports and political developments surrounding the party’s nomination process.
The emergence of Adegoke on the reported INEC list underscores the difference between names announced by political parties, aspirants who emerge from disputed primaries and candidates whose particulars are subsequently submitted to the electoral commission.
With political realignments gathering momentum ahead of 2027, the Oyo governorship contest is already shaping up as a multi-party battle involving established political figures and emerging contenders.
Further developments are expected as political parties resolve outstanding disputes, while INEC continues its preparations for the election.
For now, the reported 16-name list provides another important snapshot of the evolving contest, but disputes surrounding some nominations mean that the final ballot could still look different from the current display.
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