Stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State have called on the party’s leadership to adopt what they described as an “inclusive zonal balance” ahead of the 2027 governorship election, stressing that equity and electoral strength should guide the allocation of the party’s ticket.
The call was contained in a statement issued on behalf of concerned party members and signed by Chief M.A. Adedokun, who urged the APC to zone its next governorship ticket to one of the zones yet to produce a governor since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999.
“Oyo State’s political stability and electoral viability next year depend on fairness, inclusion and strategic balance,” the statement said.
Oyo State has 33 Local Government Areas grouped into five major zones — Ibadan, Oyo, Ogbomoso, Oke-Ogun and Ibarapa. According to the stakeholders, Ibadan Zone has produced governors for 24 of the 28 democratic years since 1999, while Oyo and Ibarapa zones have not produced either a governor or a deputy governor within the same period.
While acknowledging Ibadan’s historical leadership role, the group described the trend as a “structural imbalance that requires thoughtful correction.”
“The call for rotational balance is neither confrontational nor exclusionary,” the statement noted. “It is grounded in democratic fairness, constitutional pragmatism and long-term party stability.”
To bolster their argument, the stakeholders cited electoral performance and internal party membership figures. They said that in the last governorship election, the combined voting strength of Oyo, Ogbomoso, Oke-Ogun and Ibarapa zones surpassed that of Ibadan Zone.
They also referenced recent APC membership registration data showing:
Oyo Zone: 20,138 members
Ogbomoso Zone: 19,242 members
Oke-Ogun Zone: 46,733 members
Ibarapa Zone: 11,541 members
The four zones together account for 97,654 registered members, compared with 56,054 members in Ibadan Zone.
“These figures illustrate that the four zones outside Ibadan represent a decisive numerical bloc within party structures,” the statement said. “Their inclusion is not symbolic; it is electorally determinative.”
As a compromise, the stakeholders proposed zoning the 2027 governorship ticket to Oyo, Ogbomoso, Oke-Ogun or Ibarapa zones, while reserving the deputy governorship slot for Ibadan Zone. They argued that such an arrangement would address perceptions of marginalisation, strengthen grassroots legitimacy, promote inter-zonal solidarity and enhance the APC’s electoral chances.
“A decision rooted in equity will reflect strength, not concession; vision, not expediency,” the statement added.
The group also referenced the leadership philosophy of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, describing his political style as one anchored on coalition-building and inclusiveness, and urged party leaders at both state and national levels to adopt a zoning framework that preserves unity while maximising electoral success.
“In the spirit of justice, unity and strategic wisdom, serious consideration should be given to a governorship candidate from Oyo, Ogbomoso, Oke-Ogun or Ibarapa zone in 2027,” the statement concluded.
