Power Struggle Intensifies In Oyo State As Succession Battle Fractures Political Alliances

Governor Seyi Makinde battles internal PDP rifts and APC challengers as the race for Oyo State's 2027 governorship triggers a high-stakes political crisis.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 22, 2026, 5:45 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Newsdiaryonline

The Fracture Of The People’s Democratic Party Hierarchy

The political stability of Oyo State is currently under threat as Governor Seyi Makinde attempts to consolidate control over his successor's selection. Once a dominant force, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state has been severely weakened by internal strife, particularly the rift between Makinde and Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. This division has seen the party’s national influence dwindle, dropping from twelve governors prior to the 2023 elections to just nine. As Makinde maneuvers to single-handedly dictate the party's gubernatorial ticket for next year, he faces a coordinated effort from Wike and former Ekiti Governor Ayodele Fayose to neutralize his influence.

Controversial Traditional Appointments As Political Maneuvers

In a move interpreted by critics as a strategic strike against political rivals, Governor Makinde recently crowned three Ibadan High Chiefs as Obas in their absence. The Chiefs, including Sharafadeen Alli, Akeem Bolaji Adewoyin, and Oyekola Babalola, had requested a postponement of the ceremony to avoid conflict with upcoming political primaries. By proceeding with the installation, Makinde effectively utilized the State’s Oba and Chieftaincy Law to sideline Sharafadeen Alli, a prominent aspirant in the All Progressives Congress (APC). Under local statutes, once installed as an Oba, a traditional ruler is prohibited from participating in partisan politics, a constraint Makinde appears to have leveraged to narrow the field of contenders.

Allegations Of Impeachment And Monetary Inducement

The tension within the Pacesetter State escalated further with reports of a clandestine plot to remove Governor Makinde from office. Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin, confirmed that he was approached with monetary bribes to facilitate impeachment proceedings against the Governor. Although Ogundoyin claimed to have rejected the offer to maintain the integrity of the House, the identity of those behind the inducement remains unconfirmed. These developments occurred alongside rumors of a planned dethronement of the Olubadan of Ibadan land, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, following his absence from the controversial coronation ceremony, though both the Governor and the Monarch have officially denied such a plot exists.