By Lateef Ibrahim
Strong indications have emerged that key stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State have reportedly thrown their weight behind Dr. Debo Akande as the party’s preferred governorship candidate for the 2027 general elections.
This comes amid earlier reports suggesting that two other aspirants, Bimbo Adekanmbi and Shared Akinade Fijabi, were being considered as leading contenders during a high-level consultative meeting held in Ibadan.
However, party insiders familiar with the closed-door discussions dismissed that narrative, describing it as misleading and inconsistent with the outcome of the consultations.
One source described claims that Adekanmbi and Fijabi emerged as the final choices as “fabricated,” insisting that the process strongly favoured Akande throughout the engagement.
According to the insiders, Akande consistently led in the internal consultations, reportedly securing early support within the party’s inner caucus before widening his acceptance among stakeholders.
It was gathered that in an expanded session involving about 21 party stakeholders, Akande allegedly received overwhelming backing, a development his supporters say reflects growing consensus around his candidacy.
Participants at the meeting were said to have anchored their support on Akande’s perceived competence, loyalty to the party, and political experience within the state structure.
A former Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Monsurat Sunmonu, was also reported to have openly endorsed Akande during the deliberations, describing him as a committed party loyalist with a strong record of service.
“The only person who has contributed and sacrificed so much for this government is Dr. Debo Akande,” she was quoted as saying.
Despite the reported consensus, some sources claimed that political interests within the party may still attempt to alter the emerging agreement ahead of the primaries.
Supporters of Akande, however, maintain that he remains the most credible and electable option for the PDP in Oyo State, citing his grassroots acceptance and long-standing party loyalty.
