The political terrain of Oyo State has been jolted by a dramatic development following the resignation of prominent Ibadan chief and philanthropist, Oloye Adegboyega Taofeek Adegoke, from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Adegoke’s departure, formally communicated in a letter dated March 2, 2026 and addressed to the Ward 10 Chairman of the party in Ibadan South West Local Government Area, has sent ripples through the state’s political establishment and intensified speculation about the unfolding power dynamics ahead of the 2027 governorship race.
In the resignation letter, the respected Ibadan figure pointed to the “intractable political crisis and problems” plaguing the PDP as the principal reason behind his decision to withdraw his membership with immediate effect.
According to him, the internal turbulence within the party has become severe enough to threaten the political aspirations of committed members.
“On the back of the intractable political crisis and problems bedevilling the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which are capable of truncating political ambitions of members, I hereby resign my membership of the Party with immediate effect,” the letter read in part.
However, investigations by GoalPoacherNews has revealed that developments surrounding the Ibadan chief’s political aspirations may also have played a role in the unfolding situation.
Sources familiar with the political manoeuvres surrounding the Ibadan chief revealed that after returning to the PDP in 2025, Adegoke quietly began consultations aimed at positioning himself for the 2027 governorship race in Oyo State.
In what insiders described as a strategic move, he reportedly reached out to an influential ally of Governor Seyi Makinde, believing the figure represented the most reliable channel to communicate his governorship ambition to the governor.
But the effort reportedly yielded no positive response.
Undeterred, Adegoke is said to have escalated his consultations by approaching a powerful political tactician based in the Bashorun area of Ibadan North-East, widely regarded as a major force within the state’s political calculations.
The tactician eventually facilitated a meeting between Adegoke and Governor Makinde.
What transpired at that meeting, according to an impeccable source, proved decisive.
The governor reportedly made his position unmistakably clear, he would not support Adegoke’s governorship ambition.
The blunt stance allegedly stunned the Ibadan chief and marked a turning point in his political calculations.
Observers soon noticed subtle but telling changes in Adegoke’s political messaging.
His billboards across strategic locations in Ibadan were quietly altered, with Governor Makinde’s image and the PDP logo removed, a move that many now interpret as the earliest signal of the looming political separation.
With his resignation now official, political analysts believed the development could significantly reshape alignments within Oyo State’s political landscape as the countdown to 2027 gradually gathers momentum.
For many watchers of Oyo politics, the question is no longer simply about a party crisis within the PDP, but whether a bruised governorship ambition and a frosty reception from the state’s political leadership ultimately pushed one of Ibadan’s most prominent figures out of the party.
One thing, however, is certain: Oloye Taofeek Adegoke’s exit has opened a new chapter in the unfolding political drama of Oyo State.