Following the conclusion of Oyo North Senatorial stakeholders consensus meeting on Thursday night, fresh indications have emerged from the ongoing political consultations in the State, as Governor Seyi Makinde is said to be weighing options on consensus senatorial candidate for Oyo Central ahead of the next electoral cycle.
Findings by Goalpoachernews suggest that attention has now shifted to Oyo Central Senatorial District, where permutations and zoning considerations are already generating discussions among party stakeholders.
For the senatorial ticket, three aspirants attended the screening exercise.
They are Barrister Olasunkanmi Olaleye, Commissioner for Agric and Rural Development; Executive Chairman of Egbeda local government, Hon. Sikiru Sanda; and Special Assistant to Governor Seyi Makinde on Akinyele/Lagelu Federal Constituency and former lawmaker, Hon. Ayotunde Fatokun.
Party stakeholder noted that the composition of Oyo Central remains a key factor in determining who eventually emerges, given the spread of local governments across the Notable District.
Eleven local governments make up the senatorial district which includes five from Ibadan zone namely: Akinyele, Lagelu, Egbeda, Ona-Ara and Oluyole.
Others are four local governments from Oyo zone namely: Afijio, Atiba, Oyo East, Oyo West.
While there are two local governments from Ogbomoso zone namely: Surulere and Ogo-Oluwa.
The history of representation in the district is also expected to influence current calculations, especially with growing calls for fairness and balance among the zones.
Candidates from Ibadan zone who represented the district from 1999-2011, were late Oba Lekan Balogun and Senator Teslim Folarin. In 2011, Senator Ayo Adeseun from Surulere in Ogbomoso defeated Bisi Ilaka from Oyo zone and Jumoke Akinjide from Ibadan.
In 2015, Senator Monsurat Sunmonu defeated Ayo Adeseun and Ilaka. In 2019, Teslim Folarin defeated Bisi Ilaka and Senator Monsurat Sunmonu. And In 2023, Yunus Akintunde from Oyo defeated Bisi Ilaka and others.
In all, Ibadan zone has held the position four different times, Oyo zone twice and Ogbomoso zone once.
This record has continued to fuel debate among party members and stakeholders over which zone should produce the next candidate if a consensus arrangement is eventually adopted.
Hon. Sanda and Fatokun are from Ibadan while Olaleye is from Ogbomoso.
The intriguing part of the ongoing consultations as gathered by Goalpoachernews is that a governorship aspirant may have been penciled down by the Governor as the consensus candidate for Oyo Central Senatorial candidate.
Though, the rumour hasn’t been confirmed. Yet, Bimbo Adekanmbi, who is from Ona-Ara, is being rumoured in political circles for the Governorship Position, while the political fate of Oguntoyinbo Ajadi, who hails from Egbeda, is yet to be decided.
The development, if confirmed, may alter the expectations of many loyalists and aspirants who are hoping for an open contest.
It may also reshape the political alignments within the district in the coming months.
