HeadlineNews.News Political Insight.
By HeadlineNews Political Desk | July 24, 2025
As political winds begin to stir ahead of the 2027 general elections, a strong and urgent message has emerged from within the All Progressives Congress (APC). Mr. Bola Babarinde, former APC Chairman in South Africa and a respected voice among the party’s diaspora leadership, has issued a strategic warning: If APC wants to reclaim Oyo State in 2027, it must break away from convention and field a visionary, credible, and people-driven candidate.
The Case for Reform: No Room for Nostalgia
In a press statement delivered in Lagos on Wednesday, Babarinde emphasized the critical need for APC to reject recycled candidacies, entitlement politics, and emotion-driven selections in the upcoming governorship primaries.
“Ambition is a right,” he said, “but execution is a matter of wisdom, strategy, and context.”
He stressed that Oyo cannot afford another electoral cycle driven by “familiar faces without footprint,” arguing that only a transformational figure with deep public appeal, modern governance competence, and grassroots trust can wrestle the state from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Oyo’s Strategic Importance: More Than Just a State
Oyo State, historically regarded as the cradle of Yoruba civilisation, holds not just symbolic power but strategic electoral weight. With a voting population of over 3 million registered voters as of INEC’s last update, Oyo plays a pivotal role in presidential outcomes across the Southwest.
In 2015 and 2019, APC secured dominant figures in Oyo as part of its regional sweep. However, the 2023 cycle saw Governor Seyi Makinde of PDP comfortably returned for a second term, despite APC’s federal win. This underscores the need for recalibration.
“Lagos, once a junior sibling, has now taken the mantle of leadership, while Oyo struggles under the weight of under-performing leadership,” Babarinde lamented.
He acknowledged the efforts of the late Governor Abiola Ajimobi, praising his infrastructural and administrative strides, but pointed out that recent leadership has failed to match Oyo’s historical pedigree in education, science, agriculture, and innovation.
The Political Shift: A New Kind of Electorate
Today’s Oyo electorate is different. The internet-savvy, better-educated youth demographic—combined with an increasingly frustrated middle class—demands results, not rhetoric.
“The political terrain has shifted. Oyo citizens are more enlightened, more impatient, and more desirous of a game-changer,” Babarinde observed.
This aligns with the 2023 elections, where voter behavior across Nigeria showed strong preference for candidates perceived as reformers and disruptors, particularly in urban centers like Ibadan.
Comparative Lessons: When Strategy Wins
Across Nigeria, we’ve seen how strategic candidate selection wins elections:
- In Anambra (2021), Charles Soludo’s technocratic profile helped APGA retain control.
- In Ekiti (2022), APC’s selection of Biodun Oyebanji, a policy-grounded, grassroots-friendly figure, ensured a clear victory despite national headwinds.
- In Kano (2015), APC surged ahead by aligning with a candidate—Ganduje—who had both elite and street-level loyalty.
These examples prove that when party stakeholders pick candidates who embody relevance, innovation, and relatability, elections become winnable—even in tough terrain.
The Call to Action: Choose Vision, Not Entitlement
“This is not the time for nostalgia or second chances. This is about who can deliver now,” Babarinde said.
He urged APC stakeholders to avoid coronating aspirants based on seniority, proximity, or previous trials, and instead scout for a candidate who “thinks globally, acts locally, and leads boldly.”
He added that Oyo needs a leader who can revamp its agricultural backbone, reignite tourism, and reengineer education—all pillars of the economy once driven from Ibadan, which served as the intellectual headquarters of the Western Region in the 1950s and ‘60s.
Strategic Impact on 2027 Presidential Prospects
The choice of governorship candidate in Oyo isn’t just about winning a state—it’s about consolidating APC’s federal presence in the Southwest, critical to President Tinubu’s second-term ambitions. A weak or unpopular APC flagbearer in Oyo could risk turnout suppression or defections during presidential voting.
“A state with this much weight cannot be left to chance or patronage politics. We must earn the people’s trust again—through competence,” Babarinde concluded.
Conclusion: A Crossroads for APC in Oyo
APC has an opportunity—not just to reclaim Oyo State, but to rebuild its credibility across the region. That journey begins with one decision: choosing the right candidate. The message from Babarinde is clear—it’s not about who is loyal to the party, but who the people will vote for.
Report by HeadlineNews.News Political Desk
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