The growing attempt to pitch Christians against Muslims in Oyo State ahead of the 2027 governorship election is becoming increasingly troubling. Is the governorship contest supposed to be about which religious group has the numbers, or should it be about competence, antecedents, scorecards, verifiable records, character, integrity and humanity?
Unfortunately, some religious leaders appear to have reduced democratic politics to religious entitlement, as though the Government House in Oyo State were an inheritance that must be allocated according to an arrangement between religious institutions.
The latest development is the declaration by the Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Edo and Delta States, Alhaji Dahud Makanjuola Akinola, that the 2027 governorship should produce a Muslim governor, while endorsing Senator Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate.
AARE MUSULUMI'S 2027 GOVERNORSHIP DECLARATION
Akinola reportedly made his position known on Thursday, November 5, 2026, during a special empowerment programme organised by the Asiwaju Musulumi of Oyo State, Alhaji Mutiu Oladejo Azeez Onimalu, at his residence in Egbeda, Ibadan.
According to reports, Akinola based his position on an alleged understanding reached between Muslim and Christian leaders ahead of the 2023 governorship election.
Under the reported arrangement, religious leaders were said to have supported Governor Seyi Makinde's second-term ambition in exchange for an understanding that a popular Muslim candidate acceptable to both faiths would receive their support in 2027.
Akinola subsequently endorsed Senator Alli, suggesting that his emergence was consistent with that reported understanding.
But who negotiated this arrangement, which organisations were involved, and where is the documented agreement? More importantly, when did religious leaders acquire the authority to negotiate the political future of millions of Oyo residents?
OSUN SHOULD BE A LESSON FOR OYO
We witnessed a similar religious dimension in Osun State ahead of the August 15, 2026 governorship election.
Muslim stakeholders, including the Concerned Muslim Stakeholders and League of Alfas, publicly criticised Governor Ademola Adeleke's administration over alleged marginalisation of Muslims and endorsed the APC candidate, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, popularly known as AMBO.
The controversy also featured strong criticism of Adeleke by some Muslim religious voices. However, allegations of religious marginalisation and political disagreements should not automatically be interpreted as proof of personal hostility based on anyone's faith.
Despite the religious mobilisation and endorsement of AMBO, the incumbent Governor Adeleke eventually won the election.
According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Adeleke polled 511,067 votes against Oyebamiji's 444,815, winning by 66,252 votes. He also secured victory in 19 of the state's 30 local government areas. <Link ref="turn289178search1" title="News Agency of Nigeria – INEC election result"/>.
The lesson is that religious endorsements do not automatically translate into electoral victories. Voters have their own political considerations, and an electorate cannot simply be commanded by religious institutions.
WHO REALLY HAS THE NUMBERS IN OYO?
Another important issue is the assumption that Muslims have an established numerical advantage that should determine who governs Oyo State.
There is no current, officially established state-by-state religious population census that conclusively determines the percentages of Muslims, Christians and traditional religion adherents in Oyo State.
A 2016 academic study published in African Affairs examined religious identities across Yorubaland. Its Northern Yorubaland sample, covering Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Kwara collectively, recorded 50.9 per cent Muslims, 48.9 per cent Christians and 0.2 per cent traditionalists. These are regional survey findings, not Oyo-specific population statistics. <Link ref="turn789510search1" title="Read the academic research"/>.
Oyo's religious and cultural diversity should therefore not be reduced to assumptions about which faith has the numerical advantage. Traditional religious heritage and adherents must also be recognised as part of the state's social identity, even though their precise current population remains unestablished.
Turning Oyo's 2027 election into a religious numbers game risks alienating citizens who do not belong to either of the two dominant religious communities.
ALLI SHOULD NOT BE PUT IN A RELIGIOUS CORNER
Senator Sharafadeen Alli should be allowed to present his political credentials, legislative record, public-service experience, policies and vision for Oyo State.
His supporters should be able to convince the electorate on the strength of his candidacy rather than making religious entitlement the central argument for his emergence.
A strategy that frames the election as a contest between Muslims and Christians could also create unnecessary resistance among voters who might otherwise assess Alli on his individual merits.
The same standard must apply to every other candidate, irrespective of religious affiliation.
OYO NEEDS LEADERSHIP, NOT RELIGIOUS ENTITLEMENT
There is nothing wrong with religious leaders expressing political preferences. They are citizens and have the right to participate in democracy.
However, there is a clear difference between endorsing a candidate and suggesting that the governorship belongs to a particular religious community.
Oyo State needs a governor who can govern Muslims, Christians, traditional worshippers and people of every other belief without discrimination.
The 2027 debate should be about employment, education, healthcare, security, infrastructure, agriculture, economic development, accountability and the future of the state.
Government House is not a mosque, a church or a traditional shrine. It belongs to the people of Oyo State.
Let the candidates present their scorecards. Let the electorate examine their records. Let competence, character, humanity and the capacity to deliver determine the debate.
Oyo deserves a governor for everybody, not a religious entitlement arrangement negotiated behind closed doors.
0 Comments