By Kunle Aderibigbe
As conversations around Oyo 2027 begin to take shape, attention is shifting from personalities to capacity.
Beyond popularity and political structure, the next phase of leadership will require a mix of execution, connection, economic thinking, and continuity.
There is also a political reality that cannot be ignored.
Oyo State’s electoral weight sits heavily within Ibadan. Across party dynamics and informal zoning expectations, the path to the governorship is often anchored there, with the deputy role often balancing out to Oke-Ogun. This time, another dynamic has cropped up – the Oke-Ogun/Ogbomoso Senatorial seat has often gone to Ogbomoso zone. But it appears that the political parties will be zoning this to Oke-Ogun during this electoral circle, leaving Ogbomoso to produce the Deputy Governor as it happened in 2003, when Akala became deputy.
Within this context, every contender is not just being assessed on competence but on fit within both political arithmetic and governance needs. It is against this background that this article was put together.
To bring structure to the conversation, we assessed the top 5 contenders across four key areas that voters consistently reference in discussions around leadership: execution, connection, economic thinking, and continuity (given Governor Seyi Makinde’s track record).
So, the questions Oyo State people are asking are:
1. Execution (Can they deliver?)
→ Programmes, track record, results
2. Connection (Do people feel them?)
→ Personality, grassroots, relatability
3. Economic Thinking (Can they grow the state?)
→ Jobs, investment, value chains
4. Continuity & Stability (Will they sustain or disrupt?)
→ Alignment, system understanding, transition risk
We have scored each of these decision-making metrics over 10. Note that the scores are not definitive… but they provide a useful lens for comparison.
The 5 members of Seyi Makinde’s side of the divide being assessed are:
Amofin Beulah Adeoye, Mr Bimbo Adekanmbi, Dr Debo Akande, Compol Fatai Owoseni (Rtd) and Otunba Segun Ogunwuyi.
1. Bimbo Adekanmbi
Strengths
Fiscal Discipline and Structure
He is grounded in finance, budgeting, and administrative control as demonstrated while serving in the cabinet of the immediate past governor of the state, Senator Abiola Ajimobi.
Technocratic Appeal
May resonate with professionals who prioritise competence over politics.
Weaknesses
Limited System-Level Visibility
Less associated with large-scale, multi-sector execution.
Consistency Questions
Past role in the Ajimobi administration, followed by his later criticism of the same government he worked in, creates mixed perception around trust and alignment.
Moderate Grassroots Connection
Seen more as a technocrat than a broadly people-facing figure.
SCORECARD
● Execution: 6.0/10
Strong in finance and administration, but less visible in multi-sector delivery.
● Connection: 5.5/10
Moderate grassroots engagement, but largely technocratic perception.
● Economic Thinking: 6.5/10
Strength in fiscal discipline and budgeting.
● Continuity & Stability: 5/10
Past administration ties and later criticism create mixed signals.
👉 Overall: 5.75/10
________________________________________
2. Segun Ogunwuyi
Strengths
Political Structure and Coordination
Strong experience in managing political systems and executive operations.
Deep System Familiarity
Fully embedded in the current administration.
Grassroots Political Network
Established presence within political structures.
Weaknesses
Limited Independent Delivery Profile
More associated with coordination than visible, standalone execution.
Less Defined Economic Identity
Not strongly linked to economic structuring or investment-driven development.
Management vs Expansion Gap
Strong at managing systems… less proven in scaling them.
Geopolitical Constraint
As a non-Ibadan candidate, faces the reality of lower electoral concentration.
SCORECARD
● Execution: 6/10
Strong coordination role but limited independent delivery profile.
● Connection: 7/10
Established political presence and grassroots familiarity.
● Economic Thinking: 5.5/10
Less publicly associated with economic structuring.
● Continuity & Stability: 8/10
Deeply embedded in current administration.
👉 Overall: 6.6/10
________________________________________
3. Dr Debo Akande
Strengths
System Builder Across Sectors
Works across agriculture, investment, enterprise and infrastructure in connected ways.
Strong Economic Thinking
Focus on value chains, investment and long-term development.
Continuity Advantage
Directly involved in the design and execution of current systems.
________________________________________
Weaknesses
Late Public Visibility
Only recently becoming widely known to the broader electorate.
Non-Traditional Political Profile
Less rooted in conventional political structures.
SCORECARD
● Execution: 8.5/10
Direct involvement in multi-sector programmes and system delivery.
● Connection: 6.5/10
Growing visibility, grounded engagement through work.
● Economic Thinking: 8.5/10
Strong in value chains, investment and development systems.
● Continuity & Stability: 9/10
Fully aligned with and involved in current system design.
👉 Overall: 8.1/10
________________________________________
Beulah Adeoye
Strengths
Intellectual and Legal Weight
Brings strong professional credibility and legal depth.
Perceived Independence
Less tied to day-to-day government operations.
________________________________________
Weaknesses
Limited Executive Governance Experience
No strong track record of managing large government systems.
Low Delivery Visibility
More associated with expertise than execution.
Geopolitical Constraint
A non-Ibadan contender; faces structural electoral disadvantage.
SCORECARD
● Execution: 5.5/10
Limited visible involvement in large-scale government delivery.
● Connection: 5/10
Less established grassroots political presence.
● Economic Thinking: 5.5/10
Not strongly associated with economic structuring.
● Continuity & Stability: 4.5/10
More external to current governance systems.
👉 Overall: 5.1/10
________________________________________
4. Fatai Owoseni
Strengths
Security and Institutional Discipline
Strong background in law enforcement and public order.
Recognisable Public Profile
Well known in the security space.
________________________________________
Weaknesses
Narrow Governance Perception
Primarily seen through a security lens rather than broad governance.
Limited Economic and Development Profile
Not strongly linked to investment, enterprise or system-level development.
SCORECARD
● Execution: 5.5/10
Strong in security operations, limited broader governance delivery.
● Connection: 6/10
Recognisable public figure, particularly in security space.
● Economic Thinking: 5/10
Limited association with economic development frameworks.
● Continuity & Stability: 4.5/10
Less embedded in current systems.
👉 Overall: 5.25/10
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What the Scores Suggest
The differences between contenders are becoming clearer.
Some bring financial discipline.
Some bring political structure.
Others bring professional credibility.
But as Oyo State moves into its next phase, the conversation is increasingly shifting towards systems: who can build them, sustain them, and scale them.
And that may ultimately shape the final decision.
The Real Question
As Oyo State moves from building to scaling, the question may not just be:
Who can govern?
But: Who understands what has been built… and how to take it further?
*Aderibigbe sent this piece from Itutaba, Ibadan.
