Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has revealed that he will announce his preferred successor in January 2026, ahead of the 2027 gubernatorial election.
Makinde made this known on Monday during the 11th Omituntun Ramadan Lecture at the Government House Arcade in Ibadan. The event featured a lecture titled “Benefits of Being a Good Neighbour: An Islamic Perspective,” delivered by Yunus Teliat, the Grand Chief Imam of Ogbomoland.
Speaking in Yoruba, the governor expressed gratitude to Muslim leaders for their continued support and urged them to keep praying for his administration. He also made a lighthearted remark to socialite Abbas Oloko, advising him not to take down his billboard at Isale Alfa, as it would soon display the image of his chosen successor.
“In January 2026, we know that political activities will start. I will tell you the picture of the person that will be installed there,” Makinde stated.
Makinde, who won re-election in 2023 and is ineligible for another term, has consistently emphasized his influence over the next gubernatorial race.
Back in October 2024, while receiving a report on public service reforms, he declared that he would have a say in the choice of the next governor, particularly within the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
“So those people that are campaigning to be the next governor still have to wait because I still have till May 29, 2027. And I’ll also have a say in who is going to become the next governor,” Makinde said. “I may not have my way—it’s the people of Oyo State that will decide—but I’ll have a say, especially within the PDP, because I’m still the one controlling the structure.”
With Makinde’s declaration, political activities in Oyo State are expected to intensify as the 2027 elections draw closer.
