BREAKING: INEC Publishes Oyo 2027 Governorship Candidates — What the Portal Says, What Parties Claim, and Why the Difference Matters

  

IBADAN, OYO STATE — The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has formally entered another crucial phase of the 2027 electoral process with the publication and display of the names, credentials and other particulars of candidates contesting the governorship and State House of Assembly elections.

The exercise, carried out on Saturday, August 29, 2026, included the display of candidates’ particulars on Form EC9, giving political parties, candidates, journalists and members of the public an opportunity to scrutinise the information submitted to the electoral commission.

For Oyo State, the development is particularly significant. Reports based on the latest INEC display indicate that 16 candidates are in the 2027 governorship race, representing different political parties.

But there is an important lesson for voters: a name announced by a political party is not automatically the same thing as the name finally displayed by INEC.

That distinction has become critical in Oyo State, where some parties have experienced internal disputes over their tickets.

THE 16 OYO GOVERNORSHIP CANDIDATES REPORTEDLY ON THE INEC LIST

Based on the latest reports on the INEC display, the Oyo governorship field comprises:

1. Senator Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli — APC

2. Olooye Adegboyega Taofeek Adegoke — ADC

3. Hazeem Gbolarumi — PDP

4. Abimbola Adekanmbi — APM

5. Yinusa Kazeem Ayandare — PRP

6. Olasupo Olalekan Abdulsemiu — AAC

7. Salami Gbolagade — APGA

8. Aderoju Okunlade Michael — SDP

9. Hassan Waheed Olanrewaju — ZLP

10. Olatunji Kunle James — ADP

11. Kareem Thomson Sola — LP

12. Tijani Ismaila Akinbode — APP

13. Yusuf Akim Adebola — NDC

14. Adebiyi Adedapo — NNPP

15. Afolabi Taofeek Adedamola — NRM

16. Taiwo Ibiyemi Otegbeye — NDP

The list above reflects the names reported from the latest INEC publication/display, rather than simply reproducing lists previously announced by political parties.

APC: SHARAFADEEN ALLI

The All Progressives Congress (APC) is represented by Senator Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli, the serving Senator representing Oyo South.

Alli secured the APC governorship ticket during the party's primary process and subsequently appeared among the candidates published by INEC.

His appearance on the INEC list means that, for electoral purposes, his candidacy should be distinguished from names of aspirants who may have participated in the party's earlier primary contest but did not emerge as the submitted candidate.

ADC: ADEGOKE, NOT ALAGBE

One of the most important clarifications in the Oyo list concerns the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Earlier reports and political materials had associated Gbemileke Alagbe with the ADC governorship ticket.

However, following a dispute over the party's nomination, INEC has now displayed Olooye Adegboyega Taofeek Adegoke as the ADC governorship candidate in Oyo State.

Multiple reports published after the August 29 display confirmed that INEC had affirmed/displayed Adegoke's name.

Therefore, anyone preparing a current Oyo 2027 governorship report should not present Gbemileke Alagbe as the ADC candidate without explaining the change/dispute.

For the latest INEC display, Adegoke is the name to watch.

PDP: HAZEEM GBOLARUMI

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is represented by Hazeem Gbolarumi, a former deputy governor of Oyo State.

His name is among those reported in the latest Oyo governorship field published following INEC's August 29 exercise.

APM: ABIMBOLA ADEKANMBI

The Allied Peoples Movement (APM) is fielding Abimbola Adekanmbi, a former Oyo State Commissioner for Finance, Budget and Planning.

His name is also among the candidates published in the latest INEC-related reports.

PRP: YINUSA KAZEEM AYANDARE

Another important correction concerns Yinusa Kazeem Ayandare.

He should be identified in the current 2027 Oyo governorship report as the PRP candidate, rather than being incorrectly labelled as an ADP candidate.

This is precisely why voters and journalists should rely on the current electoral publication rather than old graphics, party posters or recycled social-media lists.

ACCORD: WHY ORIYOMI HAMZAT REQUIRES SPECIAL CAUTION

The Accord Party presents a slightly different situation.

Oriyomi Hamzat has publicly presented himself as Accord's governorship candidate, and several reports have referred to him as the party's candidate.

However, Accord has experienced an internal dispute over its Oyo governorship primary. One faction produced Hamzat, while another faction declared Olakunle Busari winner of a parallel primary. The dispute subsequently became the subject of litigation, including a suit asking the court to direct INEC to remove Hamzat's name from its portal and replace it with Busari's.

This is an important journalistic distinction:

Party announcement ≠ final INEC publication ≠ final judicial determination.

Therefore, Accord's Oyo governorship ticket should be reported carefully and with reference to the latest INEC position and any subsequent court decision.

THE OTHER PARTIES

The latest reported INEC field also cuts across smaller and emerging political parties, including AAC, APGA, SDP, ZLP, ADP, LP, APP, NDC, NNPP, NRM and NDP.

Their inclusion is significant because the 2027 contest is not simply a two- or three-party race. The official electoral process provides space for voters to choose from candidates sponsored by a broad range of registered political parties.

The current list therefore gives Oyo voters a much broader picture of the political choices available to them.

WHAT ABOUT THE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY CANDIDATES?

The same INEC exercise also covers candidates for the Oyo State House of Assembly.

However, this is where another important clarification becomes necessary.

Oyo State has 32 State House of Assembly constituencies, and the fact that a political party has released a list of 32 candidates does not by itself mean that every name on that party's list has been finally displayed by INEC.

For example, in Oorelope State Constituency, reports from the August 29 display indicated that INEC published candidates from parties including APM, ADC, SDP, Accord and PRP, while the name of the APC candidate was reportedly absent from the display at the time of the report.

That example demonstrates why it would be misleading to simply take the APC, PDP, ADC, APM or any other party's internal list and label every name on it "INEC-verified."

INEC LIST VS PARTY LIST — THE SIMPLE EXPLANATION

For voters, the distinction can be explained very simply:

PARTY LIST:

This is the candidate a political party says it has nominated or submitted to INEC.

INEC LIST/EC9:

This is the candidate whose particulars the electoral commission has actually published/displayed following the nomination, substitution and verification process.

COURT ORDER:

Where a candidate's nomination is challenged, a court judgment or order may subsequently affect who is legally recognised.

Therefore, the most reliable snapshot at any particular moment is the latest INEC publication, subject to subsequent lawful changes arising from court decisions or electoral processes.

WHY THIS MATTERS TO OYO VOTERS

The 2027 election will not merely be about personalities and political parties. It will also test the ability of voters to distinguish verified electoral information from campaign propaganda, old nomination lists and social-media claims.

A candidate may appear prominently on campaign posters today but be absent from the latest INEC publication.

Another candidate may have been announced by a party but later replaced following a nomination dispute.

A third candidate may be challenging a party's nomination in court.

For this reason, voters should always ask one fundamental question:

"What does INEC currently have on record?"

That question becomes even more important as political parties intensify their campaigns ahead of the 2027 elections.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The latest INEC publication has moved the Oyo 2027 governorship contest from the realm of speculation and party primaries into a more clearly defined electoral phase.

Sixteen candidates are reportedly on the Oyo governorship list, cutting across 16 different political platforms.

But the biggest lesson from the publication is not merely the number of candidates. It is the need to distinguish party claims, INEC's published record and court-determined outcomes.

For journalists, political actors and voters alike, that distinction could prevent a great deal of misinformation as the 2027 election approaches.

Ayekooto Media will continue to monitor the INEC records and update readers whenever there is a verified change to the Oyo governorship or State House of Assembly candidate lists.

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David Alani Ige (The Scribe)

Publisher & Editor-in-Chief, Ayekooto Media

David Alani Ige is a seasoned journalist, strategic analyst, and the visionary publisher of Ayekooto Media. With a relentless commitment to archiving Nigeria's political realities and delivering the unvarnished truth, he has built a formidable platform for deep-dive reportage and editorial excellence. He is widely known by his readers and peers as "The Scribe".