Indications have emerged that key stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Oyo State have backed Dr. Debo Akande for the party’s governorship ticket in the 2027 general elections.
There were earlier reports that two other governorship aspirants, Bimbo Adekanmbi and Shared Akinade Fijabi, got the backing of party leaders and other stakeholders during a high-level consultative meeting in Ibadan.
However, sources familiar with the closed-door meeting dismissed reports that Adekanmbi and Fijabi were the two aspirants considered during the deliberations, describing such narratives as misleading and inconsistent with what transpired at the parley.
“The story that Fijabi and Adekanmbi were the final two is a fabrication. It was designed to launder a decision made outside the room,” a party source said on Tuesday.
According to insiders, Akande consistently ranked ahead of other aspirants throughout the consultation process.
In the initial inner caucus session, he reportedly secured three votes on the first day before increasing his tally to four votes on the second day. When the consultation was expanded to include 21 stakeholders, Akande was said to have received 20 votes, reflecting what sources described as near-unanimous support among influential party leaders.
Participants at the meeting reportedly cited Akande’s competence, loyalty to the party, and political experience as major factors behind the endorsement.
A former Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Monsurat Sunmonu, reportedly, openly backed Akande’s candidacy during the deliberations.
“The only person who has contributed and sacrificed so much for this government is Dr. Debo Akande,” the ex-Speaker was quoted to have said.
It was learnt that she maintained her position throughout the discussions, resisting moves to push the candidacy of Adekanmbi ahead of Akande.
However, a source at the meeting alleged that despite Akande’s overwhelming support, there are indications that some influential political interests are attempting to override the consensus reached by the stakeholders in favour of another aspirant.
Ahead of the primaries, Akande’s supporters argue that he remains the most credible and electable option for the PDP in the Oyo State governorship election. They cited his contributions to governance, longstanding loyalty to the party, and acceptance across grassroots and political structures in the state.
