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| Governor Seyi Makinde |
In the intensifying contest for control of Oyo State ahead of the 2027 general elections, a series of alleged attacks on opposition figures has triggered a sharp war of words between Governor Seyi Makinde and the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Senator Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli. What began as claims of political thuggery has quickly evolved into a broader debate over internal party discipline, the role of the state government in maintaining peace, and the fragile state of opposition unity in one of Nigeria’s politically consequential southwestern states.
On Wednesday, October 7, 2026, the Senator Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation (SSACO) alleged that hoodlums disrupted three separate APC-linked activities in Ibadan. According to a statement by SSACO Director of Media and Publicity Bisi Oladele, Alhaja Tawakalitu Alli, wife of the APC governorship candidate, was attacked during a medical outreach she organised at Ibikunle House in the Ayeye area. On the same day, the campaign train of the APC’s Oyo South senatorial candidate, Engineer Aderemi (Remi) Oseni, was reportedly targeted at Agbaje Market, Orita-Merin, while that of the Ibadan North-West/Ibadan South-West federal constituency candidate, Hon. Folake (Funke) Olunloyo-Oshinowo, faced disruption at Idi-Arere.
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SSACO described the incidents as “unwarranted and barbaric” and accused supporters of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM)—the platform on which Makinde is pursuing a presidential bid and backing former Finance Commissioner Bimbo Adekanmbi for the governorship—of responsibility. The organisation called on Governor Makinde, as chief security officer of the state and a key promoter of APM in Oyo, and Adekanmbi to “rein in their hoodlums.” It further urged security agencies to investigate, identify the perpetrators, and prosecute them, warning that no political ambition was worth the blood of citizens and that APC candidates would not surrender their rights to associate and campaign lawfully.
Governor Makinde’s administration responded firmly the following day. In a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media, Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju, the government dismissed the allegations against Makinde and Adekanmbi as “false and irresponsible.” It insisted that eyewitness accounts pointed to a different reality: the individuals involved in the disruptions were APC members entangled in the party’s own internal disagreements. “These were cases of intra-party crisis, not government-sponsored incidents,” the statement declared.
“Efforts to shift responsibility to Governor Makinde or Hon. Adekanmbi amount to politicising a matter already traced to the APC’s inability to manage its internal tensions.”
The governor’s team emphasised that a popular administration had neither reason nor incentive to disrupt opposition campaigns. Makinde, it said, remained focused on safeguarding lives and property, promoting responsible political engagement, and delivering development across Oyo State. The statement rejected any suggestion of government-sponsored thuggery and characterised the APC’s claims as an attempt to exploit internal problems for political gain.
This exchange does not exist in isolation. It reflects the high-stakes manoeuvring underway as Oyo prepares for a post-Makinde transition. Makinde, limited by the constitution to two terms, has shifted his political base to the relatively lesser-known Allied Peoples Movement. He has been adopted as APM’s presidential candidate and has publicly endorsed Adekanmbi—previously a commissioner under both the late Governor Abiola Ajimobi and Makinde himself—as the party’s governorship standard-bearer under an “Omituntun 3.0” continuity banner. Adekanmbi has repeatedly rejected the “stooge” label, insisting his loyalty would be to the people of Oyo rather than any individual.
On the APC side, Senator Alli—a lawyer, traditional title holder (Ekarun Balogun of Ibadanland), former local government chairman, one-time Secretary to the State Government, and current senator representing Oyo South—emerged as the party’s governorship candidate after internal primaries that left lingering dissatisfaction. Reports of defections from APC ranks into APM, including groups linked to former Power Minister Adebayo Adelabu’s network, have added to the pressure. Makinde has publicly welcomed such defections and urged Alli to focus on presenting his own programme rather than centring attacks on the current administration.
Oyo APC’s internal challenges are well documented. National party leaders have dispatched reconciliation teams to the state amid court cases, primary disputes, and reports of indiscipline. Recent incidents, including a brawl at a reconciliation meeting in Oluyole Federal Constituency, underscore persistent factional tensions. Political observers note that long-standing divides—stretching across Ibadan, Ogbomoso, Oke-Ogun, and other zones—have repeatedly hampered the party’s ability to present a united front since it lost power in 2019.
The alleged October 7 incidents therefore land in a charged environment. For the APC, highlighting any disruption of its campaigns serves to portray the state government as intolerant of opposition activity and to rally its base around themes of democratic rights and security failures. For Makinde’s camp, framing the events as purely internal APC strife allows the administration to maintain the narrative of a competent, development-focused government that has no need to resort to violence—while subtly highlighting the opposition’s organisational weaknesses.
Independent verification of the precise identities and motivations of those involved in the alleged attacks remains limited in public reporting. No detailed police statements confirming arrests, injuries, or forensic findings have dominated coverage so far. This information gap itself becomes part of the political contest: each side advances its preferred interpretation of “eyewitness accounts,” and the public is left to weigh competing claims in an atmosphere of low trust.
Historically, Oyo State has experienced cycles of political tension and occasional violence during electoral periods. The current episode risks recalling earlier eras of thuggery if not carefully managed. At the same time, both major contending forces have incentives to keep the temperature from boiling over. Makinde’s national ambitions and Adekanmbi’s continuity message benefit from an image of stable governance. Alli’s “Oyo Ahead” agenda, which includes pledges on education, health, local government autonomy, and civil service welfare, requires space to mobilise voters without constant security distractions.
As the 2027 campaigns gather pace, the real test may lie less in trading accusations than in whether the APC can resolve its internal fractures sufficiently to mount a credible challenge, and whether the APM-backed structure can translate Makinde’s current popularity into a successful succession without alienating voters wary of any perception of imposed continuity. Security agencies face the practical task of investigating the specific claims impartially and deterring further incidents, regardless of which political narrative proves more convenient.
For ordinary residents of Ibadan and wider Oyo, the exchange offers a reminder that the quality of political competition will shape not only who occupies Agodi Government House after May 2027, but also the everyday climate of safety and civic freedom in the months ahead. The competing statements from SSACO and the Oyo State Government have clarified the battle lines; what remains is whether the substance of governance and the integrity of the electoral process will rise above the recriminations.
Samuel O. Sulaimon is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Naijapiz. He covers News, Sports, Finance, Faiths, Education, Technology.
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