Now, the three candidates for governor of Oyo state—Engineer Seyi Makinde of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Teslim Folarin of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and Chief Adebayo Adelabu of the Accord Party—are engaged in a last-ditch battle.
The gubernatorial election scheduled for this Saturday might go any way for any of the three candidates.
There are a total of 18 candidates running. They include: Ajekiigbe Lateef of AA, Akinwale Tayo Tawfiq of LP, Popoola Olukayode of the NNPP, Okedara Mojeed of AAC and Ajadi Bamidele of ADC, Yusuf Akim of ADP; Adeshina Adewale of APGA; Adeniran Adeyemi of APM; Yinusa Kazeem of AAP; Okunade Tunde of BP, Adegboyega Raymond of NRM, Micheal Lana of SDP and Euba Aduragbemi of YPP.
In the election, which will take place in 6,390 voting places scattered throughout 33 local government areas in the state and include 2,305,903 registered voters, the candidates are vying for their support.
Three of the governor candidates distinguish out from the rest based on their appeal, acceptability, and campaigning. Makinde, Folarin, and Adelabu are their names.
This is in contrast to what occurred in 2019, when Seyi Makinde, the PDP candidate, and Adebayo Adelabu, the APC candidate, engaged in a two-horse contest.
In the election held on March 9th, 2019, Makinde received 515,621 votes, defeating Adebayo Adelabu of the APC who received 357,982 votes.
Adelabu
Adelabu is based his campaign on how he fared in the 2019 governor’s race, which led him to believe that he may still be defeated on Saturday.
The majority of APC members, who are often viewed as “progressives,” according to the former Deputy Governor (Operations) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), thought they would support him.
In addition, he would have the backing of his party members.
Adelabu thinks he has made investments in the state’s real estate, agricultural, and tourism industries. He is convinced that they will all work in his favour.
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Adelabu believes he has the strongest profile and the best campaign to lead the state beginning in May of this year.
Folarin
Folarin presently serves as the senate representative for Oyo Central. Invoking the argument that Oyo state shouldn’t be in opposition to the APC-controlled federal government, he has been travelling the state asking for votes from the populace.
Eight (8) seats in the House of Representatives and three senatorial seats gained by his party show that the APC is a force to be reckoned with in the elections.
Mulikat Areola-Akande, a candidate for the SDP in the Oyo North senatorial district, Deji Aboderin, a candidate for the AFIJIO in the Atiba, Oyo East, and Oyo West federal constituencies, and Oyeleru Oyedemi, a candidate for the Accord.
Folarin is hoping to win the support of the state’s citizens by joining forces with the federally dominant political party.
Makinde
The incumbent, Makinde, has been touring the state, vowing to build on his prior successes in a variety of fields, including agriculture, health, and education.
He is claimed to be leading a “populist” administration and has the support of unsuccessful candidates from the Accord, Labour Party, and NNPP as well as the SDP’s Michael Lana for governor.
Accord candidates for the Oyo North senatorial seat, Hon. Shina Peller, a federal candidate for the Saki West/Saki East/Atisbo constituency Candidates for the Ibadan North Federal Constituency include Robert Atitlola, Umar Faruk Arisekola Alao, Sunday Oni of the Labour Party, for the Ibadan North West/Ibadan South West Federal Constituency, and Ibarahim Ajiboye of the NNPP.
Another group that supports Makinde is the state chairman of the Labour Party, Sodiq Atayese.
He was said to be allied with Bola Tinubu, the president-elect, but his party members have refuted such accusations.
To keep his position, Makinde will rely on his prior successes and the backing of his party members, among other things.
