Permutations Begin As PDP Eyes New Faces For Oyo Senatorial Tickets
By Femi Ajiboye
As the 2027 general elections approach, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State faces a unique challenge: none of its three senatorial candidates from the 2023 elections will be returning to seek the ticket. This development has thrown the political landscape wide open, with fresh permutations already underway within the party.
In Oyo Central, Chief Luqman Oyebisi Ilaka, who served as Chief of Staff to Governor Seyi Makinde and contested the 2023 senatorial election, lost narrowly to Dr. Yunus Akintunde of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Ilaka polled 101,213 votes against Akintunde’s 108,776. Despite his strong political stature, indications are that Ilaka will not be seeking the ticket again, paving the way for new aspirants to emerge in Oyo Central.
The story is similar in Oyo South, where Mogaji Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe, a former APC chieftain who defected to the PDP ahead of the 2023 elections, also fell short. Tegbe, who ran unopposed at the PDP primaries, lost the general election to Sharafadeen Alli of the APC, with 92,481 votes to Alli’s 111,513. With Tegbe now operating mostly behind the scenes and showing no signs of returning to the field, the PDP will be searching for a fresh face who can challenge the APC stronghold in the district.
In Oyo North, Hon. Akinwale Akinwole, popularly known as Wolekanle, had a spirited run in 2023, winning the PDP ticket with an overwhelming delegate vote of 414 out of 415. Despite his popularity, he was defeated by incumbent Senator Abdulfatai Buhari, who garnered 90,078 votes against Wolekanle’s 77,034. Recently appointed as Chairman of the Oyo State Local Government Service Commission, Wolekanle’s new administrative responsibilities suggest he is unlikely to return to the senatorial race, shifting the focus to who will step up for the party in Oyo North.
The PDP now finds itself at a crossroads. With the three previous candidates unlikely to re-contest, attention turns to new political figures, technocrats, and grassroots mobilizers who can revitalize the party’s senatorial chances. The party’s leadership will be under pressure to produce credible, popular candidates capable of challenging the APC, especially as the political atmosphere in Oyo State becomes increasingly competitive.
As the permutations continue, consultations, endorsements, and underground campaigns are expected to intensify in the coming months, with 2027 already casting a long shadow over the party’s internal politics. How well the PDP manages this transition could determine its fortunes not only in the senatorial contests but across the entire political structure of Oyo State.
