Oyo State's 2027 Senatorial Race Heats Up Amid Changes

As Nigeria approaches the polls on January 16, 2027, the leadership in Oyo State's three senatorial districts (Oyo North, Oyo Central, and Oyo South) has seen frequent changes since 1999. Senator Fatai Buhari has held the Oyo North seat since 2015, making him a three-term senator.

In contrast, Oyo South and Central have experienced a rotation of representatives. The political landscape is further complicated by a split within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Governor Seyi Makinde's shift to the Allied People’s Movement (APM).

Since the return to democracy in 1999, Oyo's senatorial seats have changed hands among five different parties, including the AD, PDP, ACN, APC, and ADC. The AD initially won all three seats in 1999, while the PDP gained ground in subsequent elections.

The APC achieved a clean sweep of all three seats in 2023, with new candidates emerging, except for Buhari in Oyo North. The competitive nature of these elections is underscored by the fact that few candidates have retained their seats consecutively.