The political temperature in Oyo State continues to rise ahead of the 2027 elections, with every meeting, consultation and public appearance by prominent political actors increasingly attracting attention.
Against this backdrop, former Oyo Central Senator, Teslim Folarin, recently paid a courtesy visit to Dr. Oriyomi Hamzat at Agidigbo FM, a meeting that has generated fresh conversations about the emerging political calculations in the state.
Hamzat is no longer merely a media personality observing politics from the sidelines. The broadcaster and founder of Agidigbo FM has entered the 2027 governorship race under the platform of the Accord Party and was announced as the party’s candidate after its primary. His growing political profile has therefore made engagements with established politicians particularly significant.
Folarin, meanwhile, remains a major figure within Oyo APC politics. He contested the 2023 governorship election on the APC platform but lost to incumbent Governor Seyi Makinde. In 2026, the APC selected Senator Sharafadeen Alli as its candidate for the 2027 governorship election, meaning Folarin’s current political calculations are taking place within a party structure that already has its gubernatorial flag bearer.
This makes the Agidigbo meeting particularly interesting.
While a courtesy visit does not automatically translate into a political alliance, it inevitably raises questions in a state where political alignments are already being closely watched.
One argument gaining traction among political observers is that the APC may be more focused on consolidating its influence at the national level and delivering votes for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027 than on allowing internal disagreements to completely derail its broader electoral strategy.
The calculation could be simple: every political relationship matters when the presidential election is also on the ballot.
Oyo State demonstrated the importance of presidential and gubernatorial voting dynamics in 2023. Tinubu won the presidential election in the state with a substantial margin, while Makinde subsequently defeated Folarin in the governorship election. The contrasting outcomes illustrated how voters can make different choices across electoral levels.
That history makes the 2027 equation even more intriguing.
Could conversations involving Folarin and Hamzat be part of wider political realignments? Is the APC looking at the presidential election separately from the governorship contest? Could personalities with significant grassroots or media influence become useful to different political camps?
These remain questions rather than established conclusions.
What is clear, however, is that Hamzat’s emergence has added another dimension to the Oyo governorship race. His media platform has given him considerable public visibility, while his Accord candidacy provides an established political vehicle through which that popularity can be tested electorally. Analysts have already noted that the major question is whether his personal following and media reach can be converted into statewide political organisation.
For Folarin, the situation is equally delicate. His political influence, experience and history within Oyo APC make his movements worth watching, even though he is not the party’s 2027 governorship candidate.
Therefore, the visit to Agidigbo FM may be nothing more than a courtesy engagement—or it could be another indication that the political chessboard for 2027 is being rearranged quietly.
One thing is certain: Oyo politics is entering another season where friendships, alliances, party loyalty and electoral mathematics will matter enormously.
And with President Tinubu’s re-election bid also forming part of the 2027 political equation, the real battle may not simply be about who occupies Agodi Government House.
It may also be about who can build enough influence to determine where Oyo’s votes ultimately go.
So, what exactly does Folarin’s visit to Oriyomi Hamzat mean for Oyo politics ahead of 2027?
The answer may become clearer as the political alliances begin to take shape.
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