Stakeholders from 22 LGAs in Oyo State demand rotational governorship, citing decades of dominance by Ibadan zone. Equity and fairness top their 2027 agenda.
Stakeholders from the 22 local government areas outside the Ibadan zone in Oyo State have issued a strong demand for rotational governorship, citing historical imbalances and regional marginalisation since the return to civil rule in 1979.
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Speaking at a press conference, the spokesperson for the coalition highlighted what they described as the “historic and intolerable imbalance” in the distribution of the governorship seat, which has been dominated by the Ibadan zone for over two decades.
According to the group, Oyo State comprises five administrative zones:
- Ibadan (11 LGAs)
- Oke-Ogun (10 LGAs)
- Ogbomoso (5 LGAs)
- Oyo (4 LGAs)
- Ibarapa (3 LGAs)
They noted that Ibadan, despite having just 11 of the 33 LGAs, has produced the governor six out of seven times in the democratic era:
- Dr Victor Olunloyo – Ibadan (3 months)
- Chief Kolapo Ishola – Ibadan (1 year 11 months)
- Alhaji Lamidi Adesina – Ibadan (4 years)
- Senator Rashidi Ladoja – Ibadan (4 years)
- Senator Abiola Ajimobi – Ibadan (8 years)
- Governor Seyi Makinde – Ibadan (8 years by 2027 projected)
Only Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala from Ogbomoso zone held office outside the Ibadan zone, serving from 2007 to 2011.
“The cumulative period of Ibadan dominance is about 26 years,” the group emphasised. “The remaining four zones, with 22 LGAs, have only ruled for four years—an imbalance that must be corrected.”
The group also pointed to examples from Ondo, Ekiti, and Osun states, where governorship positions are often rotated across zones, and state capital indigenes rarely dominate political leadership.
“Since creation, no indigene of Akure, Osogbo, or Ado-Ekiti has become governor in their respective states. Yet, in Oyo, Ibadan continues to dominate.”
They further argued that only 30% of registered voters in Ibadan are true indigenes, suggesting that the wider population—made up of citizens from other zones—are instrumental to Ibadan’s political dominance, often unwittingly voting against their own zones’ interests.
1. Power Rotation: All political parties in Oyo State should zone their governorship candidacy to any of the 22 LGAs outside Ibadan.
2. Support for Non-Ibadan Candidates: Stakeholders across the state, especially from Ibadan, are urged to support this call in the interest of justice, equity, and peaceful coexistence.
3. Political Will from Parties: Political parties are encouraged to prioritise fairness and nominate candidates from the Oke-Ogun, Oyo, Ogbomoso or Ibarapa zones.
Concluding their statement, the coalition appealed to all democrats and civil society actors to support a new political orderin Oyo State that upholds inclusiveness, fairness, and justice.
“We believe that as true democrats and dogged fighters for equity and fairness, you will join hands with us in our collective quest to change the political narrative of Oyo State.”
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The demand adds to growing calls across Nigeria for a more balanced power-sharing system, especially in states with deep ethno-regional diversity.
