Post by Ibadan Watch (@Ibadanwatch)

Makinde Unveils Oyo Campaign Council, Intensifies 2027 Presidential Bid.

Oyo State Governor and APM presidential candidate Seyi Makinde has inaugurated the party’s Oyo State Presidential and Governorship Campaign Council, marking a step in his 2027 presidential bid. The event, held at the Governor’s Office in Ibadan, will launch the campaign structure before the election.

According to a statement issued on Wednesday by the governor’s Special Adviser on Media, Sulaimon Olarenwaju, Nureni Adeniran will be the Oyo State Coordinator and Director-General of the campaign. Saheed Arowosaye is Deputy State Coordinator, while Hon. Demola Ojo is Deputy Director-General for Oyo South. Dr. Femi Ojo and Alhaji Siju Lawal will oversee Oyo Central and North, with Hon. Ramata Dabo leading the Women’s Wing and Hon. Kazeem Bolarinwa the Youth Wing.

The governor’s media office said additional members of the campaign structure would be announced in due course as the party intensifies preparations for the 2027 election. The newly constituted council is expected to coordinate grassroots mobilisation, campaign strategy and stakeholder engagement across the state.

The latest move follows Makinde’s recent reaffirmation that he remains firmly in the presidential race despite mounting political pressure. In the 142nd edition of his newsletter, the governor alleged that an APC chieftain warned him against contesting the presidency shortly before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) initiated what he described as a sweeping investigation into Oyo State’s finances.

Makinde said the sequence of events began after he stated during a television interview in April 2025 that he had the capacity to become Nigeria’s president. According to him, after the APC endorsed President Bola Tinubu as its sole candidate for the 2027 election, an APC leader publicly warned him not to pursue the presidency, while the EFCC subsequently requested extensive financial records relating to government contracts without identifying any specific allegation of wrongdoing.

The governor said his administration sought clarification from the anti-graft agency but got no response, prompting the state to approach the Federal High Court for interpretation. The court ruled that while the EFCC can investigate financial crimes, investigations must be based on specific allegations, not speculative requests.

Reacting, Makinde called the ruling "a victory for the rule of law," emphasizing his commitment to accountability. He dismissed claims that his presidential bid was bargaining and stated he entered the race to compete and would not withdraw.

Makinde had earlier declared his intention to contest the 2027 presidential election, citing the need for a new direction for Nigeria. He also announced a political alliance between his PDP faction in Oyo State and the Allied Peoples Movement, aimed at strengthening his challenge against President Bola Tinubu.

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