Former Senator representing Oyo Central, Ayoade Adeseun, has called for a power shift from Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, to other zones in the state, in order to promote equitable development and decentralization of governance.
The Ogbomoso-born politician, who served in the Senate between 2011 and 2015, made the call on Thursday while hosting Oyo State gubernatorial aspirant, Retired Colonel Gbenga Adegbola, at his residence.
Adeseun decried what he described as Governor Seyi Makinde’s lopsided development approach, claiming that the administration has largely concentrated projects and resources in Ibadan, to the detriment of other zones.
He emphasized that while Ibadan leaders have contributed immensely to the growth of the state, the time has come for other regions such as Oke-Ogun, Ibarapa, and Ogbomoso to also produce the state’s governor.
The former senator also rejected the popular notion that Ibadan holds 52% of the state’s voting strength.
“It is wrong to focus on 11 local governments and neglect 22 others. Let’s streamline our efforts to support one candidate in our party. And we should support whoever emerges as candidate to make our party victorious in the next governorship election in the state,” he said.
“They say we are the minorities—no, we are not the minority—we are even the majority. It is a fallacy that 52% of Oyo State’s populace resides in Ibadan. If you study the voting population, Ibadan cannot have more than 30% of Oyo State’s voting strength. People from Ogbomoso reside in Ibadan; people from Oke-Ogun and other axes, Ijebu inclusive, reside in Ibadan.”
“Look at Ekiti, Ondo, and Osun states—no candidate from the capital city has been governor. We need a governor outside of Ibadan. Oyo, Okeho, Iseyin, and Saki are major axes of the state. We need this power shift to help development spread across the state.”
Adeseun acknowledged his admiration for the current Minister of Power, Bayo Adelabu, describing him as one of his favorite politicians. However, he maintained that despite this, he strongly believes power should shift to other parts of the state.
He stressed the importance of grassroots mobilization as a foundation for impactful governance, stating that those who fail to rise through the ranks, such as from the councillorship level, often fall short of expectations.
He advised the aspirant to remain committed to the welfare of party loyalists and the masses, adding that political power is temporary.
Encouraging Dr. Adegbola’s commitment to the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adeseun urged the people of Oke-Ogun and other zones to unite behind a single candidate for the 2027 gubernatorial race and to remain loyal to the party, regardless of the outcome of the primaries.
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