The 2027 governorship candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) in Oyo State, Hon. Bimbo Adekanmbi, has dismissed allegations that he could become a political stooge to Governor Seyi Makinde if elected, saying his loyalty would be to the people of the state.
Adekanmbi made the declaration while appearing on the Morning Show programme of Arise Television, where he spoke about his political ambition, experience in government and his plans for Oyo State ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
The former Commissioner for Finance said his decision to seek the governorship was based on his experience, competence and desire to put the interests of the people above personal or political considerations.
Speaking on his relationship with Governor Makinde, Adekanmbi said there was no arrangement for him to serve as the governor’s political stooge. He explained that Makinde had even encouraged him to build his own relationships and develop an independent political identity.
According to him, the governor recently advised residents to establish personal relationships with him, noting that he had also built strong networks across different parts of the state over the years.
Adekanmbi said: “Recently, Governor Makinde cautioned residents to build personal relationships with me, as he would not play the role of prevailing on me unnecessarily.
I have also personally built relationships and robust networks with the people across various regions of the state.
“So, if you ask me, I think I would be a stooge to the over 7.5 million people of Oyo State.”
The APM candidate said his years of involvement in governance had given him first hand knowledge of the challenges and opportunities in Oyo State.
He also spoke about his relationship with former governors of the state, saying he had gained valuable experience from their administrations and benefited from discussions about their visions, achievements and challenges in office.
Adekanmbi recalled his experience under the late former Governor Abiola Ajimobi, noting that he was recalled into the cabinet during the governor’s second term shortly after the cabinet had been dissolved.
He said the experience gave him the opportunity to make meaningful contributions to the administration and further deepen his understanding of governance.
The former commissioner added that while his administration would pursue its own vision if elected, it would not abandon policies and projects that were already producing positive results.
He said his government would sustain such initiatives while reviewing areas where residents were not getting the desired results, with the aim of improving service delivery and development across the state.
Adekanmbi, who emerged as the APM consensus governorship candidate in May 2026, has since continued engagements with party stakeholders and residents across Oyo State ahead of the 2027 election.
 in Oyo State, Hon. Bimbo Adekanmbi, has dismissed allegations that he could become a political stooge to Governor Seyi Makinde if elected, saying his loyalty would be to the people of the state.){kind=link}