“This One Na APC By Blood” — Outrage In Oyo PDP As Makinde Endorses Bimbo Adekanmbi As Successor

A wave of resentment has swept through the Oyo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following Governor Seyi Makinde’s formal endorsement of Mr. Bimbo Adekanmbi as his preferred successor for the 2027 governorship race.

The decision has sparked a fierce “identity crisis” within the ruling party, with many loyalists and grassroots mobilizers openly questioning why a core figure from the late Senator Abiola Ajimobi’s APC administration is being positioned to inherit the “Omituntun” legacy.

The most vocal criticism stems from Adekanmbi’s deep-rooted political pedigree. Having served as the Commissioner for Finance under the late Governor Ajimobi, Adekanmbi is viewed by many PDP stalwarts as an “outsider” or, as one party source put it, “APC by blood.”

The endorsement is being perceived as a betrayal by those who fought to bring the PDP to power in 2019, with many arguing that the move effectively hands the party’s structures back to the very ideology they sought to replace.

Beyond the party friction, the endorsement has triggered a broader debate on the state of democracy in the Pacesetter State. Critics have been quick to condemn the “anointing” of candidates, insisting that it creates an uneven playing field.

“This is not a democracy anymore,” a concerned stakeholder remarked. “People should not have an edge over others simply because of an endorsement. From the primaries to the main elections, it is the citizens who should determine who becomes governor, not a pre-determined arrangement.”

The endorsement has also reopened old wounds regarding Adekanmbi’s tenure as Finance Commissioner. Public discourse in Ibadan and beyond has shifted toward his past fiscal management, with many demanding he account for the struggles of that era.

“When the campaigns start properly, he will have to explain to the people of Oyo State how his previous administration failed to pay pensioners and struggled with prompt salary payments,” a retired civil servant stated. “You cannot be ‘APC by blood’ in your record-keeping and then expect a ‘PDP mandate’ without answering tough questions.”

The move has further alienated other zones, specifically Oke-Ogun and Ibarapa, where many are asking if they are truly considered part of the state’s political future. The sidelining of perceived “homegrown” PDP technocrats like Dr. Debo Akande, or popular figures like Oriyomi Hamzat, has led to a sense of disillusionment among the Governor’s original support base.

As the state moves closer to the transition period, Governor Makinde’s choice has set the stage for a high-stakes battle between the Governor’s “continuity” agenda and a growing coalition of party loyalists and citizens who believe the soul of the PDP—and the state’s democracy—is at risk of being compromised.