Ambassador Ademola Omiyale has offered a sharp assessment of the political developments surrounding the 2027 Oyo State governorship race, reflecting on Senator Sharafadeen Alli’s political history, the APC’s recent governorship primary and the emergence of Adesoji Adedeji as Alli’s running mate.
Omiyale made the remarks during an appearance on the Random Podcast on YouTube, hosted by Afouda Samuel, where he discussed his own political journey, his movement within the All Progressives Congress (APC), and his current support for the APM through Boyenation.
One of the issues he revisited was Alli’s emergence as APC candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District in 2022. Omiyale argued that Alli did not originally win the party’s first senatorial primary, pointing specifically to Kolapo Kola-Daisi.
Contemporary reports confirm that Kola-Daisi was declared winner of the May 29, 2022 APC Oyo South senatorial primary after polling 212 votes, while Alli recorded 107. However, the result became disputed amid allegations of irregularities and was subsequently followed by a rerun. In that rerun, Alli polled 185 votes to Kola-Daisi’s 145 and emerged as the party’s candidate.
Omiyale’s account also referenced the role of Senator Teslim Folarin in Alli’s political journey, claiming that Folarin sent Alli a message informing him that he had won the primary, while suggesting that the development was subsequently connected to efforts to honour former Governor Rashidi Ladoja.
The ambassador also turned his attention to the 2027 governorship contest, describing the emerging youth movement as “Young, United and Unstoppable.” He cited the recently concluded Osun governorship election as an example of the scale of resources and political machinery that can be deployed during a governorship contest.
The August 15, 2026 Osun election generated substantial public discussion over campaign spending and political mobilisation. The PUNCH reported allegations that the APC and Accord deployed more than ₦100 billion during the election, while TheCable separately reported estimates from sources suggesting that the APC alone may have spent nearly ₦40 billion, while noting that such figures were difficult to independently establish.
Against that backdrop, Omiyale argued that the political calculations surrounding a single-state governorship election should not be underestimated when compared with the dynamics of a general election.
He further challenged the assumption that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would necessarily intervene personally in an Oyo State governorship contest, saying those expecting Abuja to “rig” an election for them would be disappointed. He maintained that young people would remain vigilant and actively participate in protecting the electoral process.
Another major issue raised during the interview was the emergence of Adesoji Adedeji as Alli’s running mate.
Omiyale questioned what he described as an unusual political arrangement in which, according to him, the deputy governorship candidate appeared to have been settled before the governorship candidate. His comments centred on Adesoji Adedeji, whom he identified as the younger brother of Zacch Adedeji, Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service.
That relationship is publicly documented. In July 2026, the APC formally unveiled Adesoji Adedeji as Alli’s running mate for the 2027 Oyo governorship election, with reports identifying him as the younger brother of Zacch Adedeji.
Omiyale alleged that Adesoji’s identity as the prospective running mate was known several months before what he described as the “kangaroo primary,” and questioned the process through which the governorship ticket was eventually determined.
He suggested that aspirants were effectively expected to accept predetermined conditions, including accepting the proposed deputy governorship candidate.
The allegations remain political claims made during the interview and should be distinguished from independently established facts. What is established is that Alli and Adesoji were ultimately unveiled by the APC as its governorship and deputy governorship candidates for the 2027 Oyo election.
With the 2027 contest already generating intense political realignments, Omiyale’s comments add another dimension to the debate over internal party democracy, political influence, youth participation and the process through which candidates emerge in Oyo State.
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