By Feyisetan Hamzat
As political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 Oyo State governorship election, attention is increasingly shifting to the personalities positioning themselves to occupy Agodi Government House.
In Episode 1, we looked at Senator Sharafadeen Alli and the long political road that brought him to the APC ticket.
This time, the spotlight turns to Hon. Bimbo Adekanmbi, a chartered accountant, public policy practitioner and former Oyo State commissioner whose emergence has added an interesting dimension to the 2027 race.
Adekanmbi is no longer merely a name in the succession conversation. He has been affirmed as the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) governorship candidate for 2027, with Engineer Muftau Open-Salawu as his running mate.
But beyond the ticket, the bigger question remains:
Who exactly is Bimbo Adekanmbi, and what does he bring to a contest that already has several experienced political players?
The Man Behind the Name
Adekanmbi comes into the race with a background that is considerably different from that of the traditional career politician.
He is a chartered accountant and public policy expert whose professional journey has cut across finance, administration, consulting and government.
His educational background includes studies at Obafemi Awolowo University, Oxford Brookes University and Liverpool John Moores University, with qualifications in accounting, applied accounting and strategy/finance. He is also a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.
That technocratic identity has become an important part of how his candidacy is presented.
But politics, particularly governorship politics, demands more than technical competence.
And that is where Adekanmbi's story becomes more interesting.
From Ajimobi's Government to the Political Centre
Adekanmbi's major public-service experience came during the administration of the late Governor Abiola Ajimobi.
He served as Deputy Chief of Staff before later becoming Commissioner for Finance, Budget and Planning.
His time in government placed him at the centre of discussions around public finance, budgeting and administration in Oyo State.
That experience is arguably one of the strongest selling points of his candidacy.
He is not approaching the governorship from outside government. He has been inside the system, participated in decision-making and seen the machinery of government from the administrative side.
For voters, however, the question is whether that experience will translate into the broader political leadership required of a governor.
The Makinde Connection
Perhaps no aspect of Adekanmbi's emergence has generated as much political discussion as his relationship with Governor Seyi Makinde.
In May 2026, Makinde publicly identified Adekanmbi as his preferred successor and urged him to continue the positive aspects of his administration while charting his own path.
The endorsement immediately changed the political conversation around Adekanmbi.
Suddenly, a former commissioner under an opposition administration became the central figure in the ruling governor's succession calculations.
That development eventually led to Adekanmbi's emergence on the APM platform.
But there is an important distinction here.
Being the preferred successor of a sitting governor is political capital. It is not the same thing as possessing an independent electoral structure.
Adekanmbi now has to demonstrate that he can turn goodwill, relationships and administrative experience into votes across Oyo State.
Not Makinde's Stooge
Interestingly, Adekanmbi himself has recently sought to draw a line between continuity and dependence.
Speaking in Ibadan this week, he said he would not be a “stooge” to Makinde if elected governor.
At the same time, he acknowledged the achievements of the present administration and argued that Oyo should not abandon what is working.
That position could become one of the defining elements of his campaign.
He appears to be presenting himself as a candidate who wants to continue what works without necessarily becoming an extension of the incumbent.
That balance will be closely watched.
The Technocrat's Advantage
Adekanmbi's strongest argument may be his experience with government finances and administration.
His supporters can point to his professional training and his experience as a senior government official.
He also brings experience outside politics, including exposure to corporate and international environments.
For a state confronting questions around infrastructure, education, healthcare, employment, revenue generation and economic development, a candidate with strong financial and administrative credentials can make a compelling argument.
But competence on paper must ultimately be tested against political realities.
The Political Question
The 2027 election will not be won by credentials alone.
Adekanmbi must build a political structure capable of taking his message beyond Ibadan and into the wider Oyo electorate.
He will have to compete for attention in a race involving established politicians, party structures, influential political networks and candidates with their own loyal constituencies.
There are also questions around the APM itself.
The party has recently faced internal disagreements in Oyo, with aggrieved members instituting legal actions against its leadership.
For Adekanmbi, therefore, the challenge is not simply to sell himself as a capable technocrat.
He must also convince voters that the platform carrying him can provide the political vehicle necessary to deliver his ambition.
What Does He Bring to the Table?
Experience: He has served at senior levels of state government.
Technical knowledge: His background in accounting, finance and public administration gives him considerable exposure to the mechanics of governance.
Continuity: His relationship with Makinde gives him a natural connection to the administration's development narrative.
A different political identity: Unlike some of the other contenders, Adekanmbi's public identity has been built substantially around professional and technocratic experience.
But there is a test: Can he transform these advantages into a broad-based electoral movement independent enough to survive the pressures of a competitive governorship race?
The Big Question
Perhaps the most important question surrounding Bimbo Adekanmbi is not whether he understands government.
He has already been inside government.
The question is whether Oyo voters will trust him to lead it.
Can the technocrat become a mass politician?
Can the former commissioner build a political identity beyond his association with Ajimobi and now Makinde?
Can continuity coexist with independence?
And perhaps most importantly, can Adekanmbi convince voters across all zones of Oyo State that he is not simply someone else's preferred candidate, but a candidate with a vision of his own?
The Oyo Factor
Oyo politics has historically rewarded a combination of personality, structure, relationships, grassroots reach and political timing.
Adekanmbi's emergence has already demonstrated that he can attract significant political attention.
His recent statewide engagements and his campaign's efforts to build structures beyond Ibadan suggest an attempt to broaden his reach.
But the road from Agodi to the electorate is long.
The real test will be whether his message resonates with the trader in Bodija, the farmer in Oke-Ogun, the artisan in Ibarapa, the professional in Ibadan, the student in Ogbomoso and the young voter looking for something different.
FIVE MEN, ONE SEAT VERDICT
Bimbo Adekanmbi enters the 2027 race with a profile built around competence, government experience and political endorsement.
His technocratic background distinguishes him from some of the other major contenders.
His relationship with Governor Seyi Makinde gives him significant political visibility.
But those same advantages create questions.
Can he establish himself as an independent political force?
Can APM provide the structure required for a statewide contest?
And can a candidate associated with continuity persuade voters that he can also provide something new?
Those are questions only the campaign, the electorate and ultimately the ballot box can answer.
For now, Bimbo Adekanmbi has moved from being a name in the succession conversation to becoming one of the men directly competing for the seat.
Five men. One seat.
Oyo will decide.
