📌 Quick answer: 16 candidates are on INEC’s final list for the Oyo State governorship election on Saturday, 6 February 2027. They include Sharafadeen Alli (APC), Hazeem Gbolarumi (PDP), Taofeek Adegoke (ADC), Abimbola Adekanmbi (APM), Sola Kareem (LP) and Akim Yusuf (NDC). Governor Seyi Makinde is completing his second and final term and is himself on the 2027 ballot as the APM’s presidential candidate, so Oyo will have a new governor on 29 May 2027. The full list, with every running mate and their ages as filed with INEC, is below.
Oyo’s 2027 governorship race is an open contest. Seyi Makinde, elected on the PDP platform in 2019 and re-elected in 2023, cannot run again under the Constitution’s two-term limit, and he is now the Allied Peoples Movement’s candidate for president. That leaves the parties competing to succeed him without an incumbent on the governorship ballot.
Below is every ticket as INEC published it in its Final List of Candidates for the Oyo State governorship election, signed by the commission’s Secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony. Names are written in the order INEC used (in most cases surname first) so you can match them to the ballot; ages are as declared in the candidates’ nomination forms.
Full List: All 16 Oyo Governorship Candidates and Running Mates
| Party | Governorship candidate (age) | Running mate (age) |
|---|---|---|
| A – Accord | Oriyomi Hamzat Abdulrahman (46) | Adesokan Taiwo Bimpe (64) |
| AAC – African Action Congress | Oladele Saheed (44) | Jaye Damola Tunrayo (45) |
| ADC – African Democratic Congress | Adegoke Taofeek (62) | Adegboyega Salako Aderoju Oladayo (47) |
| ADP – Action Democratic Party | Olatunji Kunle James (58) | Olanrewaju Taofeek (38) |
| APC – All Progressives Congress | Alli Sharafadeen Abiodun (63) | Adedeji Adesoji Michael (46) |
| APGA – All Progressives Grand Alliance | Salami Gbolagade Tajudeen (58) | Oyewole Emmanuel Oyetayo (57) |
| APM – Allied Peoples Movement | Adekanmbi Abimbola (53) | Salawu Muftau Open (53) |
| APP – Action Peoples Party | Tijani Ismaila Akinboye (64) | Faneye Yemisi (41) |
| LP – Labour Party | Kareem Thompson Sola (58) | Olabode Simeon Bolaji (54) |
| NDC – Nigeria Democratic Congress | Yusuf Akim Adebola (57) | Olowookere Monsurat Ayoade (59) |
| NDP – National Democratic Party | Taiwo Ibiyemi Otegbeye (59) | Adeniji Seliat Olajumoke (65) |
| NRM – National Rescue Movement | Afolabi Taofeek Ademola (60) | Oyinola Oluwakemi Toyin (44) |
| PDP – Peoples Democratic Party | Gbolarumi Hazeem Ola (69) | Aderoju Ademola Emmanuel (66) |
| PRP – Peoples Redemption Party | Yinusa Kazeem Ayandoye (52) | Olaifa Sola Otolola (66) |
| YPP – Young Progressives Party | Adeyemi Idowu Adedeji (46) | Adetunji Adeniyi Temitope (65) |
| ZLP – Zenith Labour Party | Azzan Waheed Olanrewaju (66) | Oladokun Ajibola Johnson (73) |
Could the list still change? Possibly. Sixteen of INEC’s 22 registered parties have an Oyo governorship candidate; Action Alliance, the Boot Party, the Democratic Leadership Alliance, the NNPP, the SDP and the Youth Party do not. INEC has explained that, after the Supreme Court upheld the Electoral Act 2026’s rule that parties must submit membership registers for valid primaries (sections 77(5) to 77(7)), parties that did not comply were left off governorship lists nationwide. Parties that believed their candidates were wrongly omitted had until 24 October 2026 to notify the Commission. We will update this page if INEC publishes any change for Oyo.
The Tickets Oyo Voters Are Searching For
Parties are covered here in alphabetical order. The details come from INEC’s list and published reports; NaijaSabi does not rank or endorse candidates.
ADC: Taofeek Adegoke and Oladayo Adegboyega Salako
The African Democratic Congress candidate, listed as Adegoke Taofeek, is 62. His INEC form lists a primary leaving certificate, WAEC and a BSc. His running mate, Adegboyega Salako Aderoju Oladayo, is 47 and lists a B.Tech.
APC: Sharafadeen Alli and Adesoji Adedeji
Senator Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli, 63, is the All Progressives Congress candidate. The party unveiled him and his running mate at a ceremony in Ibadan in July 2026, Channels Television reported. His INEC form lists a First School Leaving Certificate, WAEC and a Bachelor of Laws. His running mate, Adedeji Adesoji Michael, is 46 and lists NECO and a BSc in Economics.
APM: Abimbola Adekanmbi and Muftau Salawu
The Allied Peoples Movement, whose presidential ticket is led by Governor Makinde, is represented in Oyo by Adekanmbi Abimbola, 53. His form lists a First School Leaving Certificate, SSCE and Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. His running mate, Salawu Muftau Open, is also 53 and lists a Master of Engineering.
LP: Sola Kareem and Simeon Olabode
The Labour Party’s candidate, listed as Kareem Thompson Sola, is 58 and lists an FSLC, WAEC and an HND. His running mate, Olabode Simeon Bolaji, 54, also lists an HND.
NDC: Akim Yusuf and Monsurat Olowookere
The Nigeria Democratic Congress, the party whose presidential ticket is led by Peter Obi, is represented by Yusuf Akim Adebola, 57, who lists a BSc in Political Science. His running mate is Olowookere Monsurat Ayoade, 59, who lists a Grade II Teachers’ Certificate.
PDP: Hazeem Gbolarumi and Ademola Aderoju
The Peoples Democratic Party, which won the Oyo governorship in 2019 and 2023 with Makinde as its candidate, is represented by Gbolarumi Hazeem Ola. At 69 he is the oldest governorship candidate on the Oyo list. His INEC form lists a First School Leaving Certificate, the West African Senior School Certificate and a Bachelor of Law (LL.B). His running mate is Aderoju Ademola Emmanuel, 66.
The Oyo Ballot in Numbers
| Fact | Figure |
|---|---|
| Governorship candidates | 16, each with a running mate (32 names in total) |
| Women governorship candidates | None |
| Running mates recorded by INEC as female | 5 – for A, AAC, APP, NRM and PRP |
| Youngest governorship candidate | Oladele Saheed (AAC), 44 |
| Oldest governorship candidate | Gbolarumi Hazeem Ola (PDP), 69 |
| Average age of the 16 candidates | About 57 |
| Candidates under 50 | 3 |
| Youngest and oldest running mates | Olanrewaju Taofeek (ADP), 38; Oladokun Ajibola Johnson (ZLP), 73 |
| Candidates declared as persons with disability | None |
Oyo’s field is older than those in Lagos and Rivers: the average age of its governorship candidates is about 57, compared with about 53 in Lagos and 53.5 in Rivers, and only three are under 50.
Key Dates for the Oyo Governorship Election
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Presidential and National Assembly elections | Saturday, 16 January 2027 |
| Governorship and Oyo State House of Assembly elections | Saturday, 6 February 2027 |
| End of campaigns | 24 hours before polling day, as the Electoral Act requires |
| New governor sworn in | 29 May 2027 |
Oyo voters will go to the polls twice: on 16 January for president, senators and House of Representatives members, when Governor Makinde is himself a presidential candidate, and three weeks later on 6 February for governor and the State House of Assembly. For the national picture, see our list of 2027 presidential candidates and running mates and our profile of Makinde’s running mate, Lawal Musa Daura. We have also published the final lists for Lagos, Kano and Rivers.
How a Candidate Wins the Oyo Governorship
Under Section 179 of the Constitution, a candidate is declared winner if he or she scores the highest number of votes and at least a quarter of the votes cast in at least two-thirds of the local government areas in the state. Oyo has 33 local government areas. If no candidate meets both conditions, a second election is held within seven days between the leading candidate and the candidate who has the majority of votes in the highest number of local government areas.
With 33 areas spread across Ibadan, Ibarapa, Oyo, Oke-Ogun and Ogbomoso, a candidate cannot win on Ibadan’s large vote alone.
Before You Vote: What Oyo Voters Should Do Now
- Collect your PVC. Collection is going on at INEC local government offices. Our guide explains how to check if your PVC is ready and where to collect it.
- Confirm your polling unit. Check your details on INEC’s voter portal. You vote at the polling unit on your card.
- Know the ballot. With 16 parties on the governorship ballot, look for the party name and logo you intend to vote for before you get into the voting cubicle.
- Compare plans, not posters. Look at what each party says about jobs, roads, agriculture, education and the cost of living before you decide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many candidates are running for Oyo governor in 2027?
Sixteen. INEC’s final list has 16 parties fielding a candidate for the Oyo governorship, each with a running mate.
Who is the APC governorship candidate in Oyo?
Senator Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli. His running mate is Adedeji Adesoji Michael.
Who is the PDP governorship candidate in Oyo?
Gbolarumi Hazeem Ola, 69. His running mate is Aderoju Ademola Emmanuel.
Can Makinde run for governor again?
No. He has served two terms, the maximum the Constitution allows. He is the APM’s presidential candidate for 2027.
When is the Oyo governorship election?
Saturday, 6 February 2027, on the same day as the Oyo State House of Assembly election.
Sources
- Independent National Electoral Commission – Final List of Candidates, Oyo State Governorship Election 2027 (signed by Rose Oriaran-Anthony, Secretary) – inecnigeria.org
- Independent National Electoral Commission – Final List of Candidates, 2027 Presidential Election; Registered Political Parties; Election calendar; and “Clarification on the Omission of Some Candidates from the Final List for the 2027 Governorship Election”, October 2026 – inecnigeria.org
- Channels Television – “2027: Oyo APC Unveils Alli As Governorship Candidate”, 2 July 2026
- Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), Sections 179 and 182
Last updated: 25 October 2026 · NaijaSabi Civic Desk. NaijaSabi does not endorse any candidate or party. If INEC changes the list, we will update this page.
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