INEC clears 16 governorship, 378 Assembly candidates for Oyo 2027 elections

Sixteen candidates are in the race to govern Oyo State in 2027, while another 378 are seeking seats in the state House of Assembly, following the release of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s final list of candidates for both elections.

The list, published on Saturday, October 10, 2026, includes candidates representing 16 political parties in the governorship race, with prominent contenders emerging from the All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM) and Accord Party.

The APC will be represented by Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli, while Hazeem Ola Gbolarumi is listed as the PDP candidate. Taofeek Adegboyega Adegoke will contest under the ADC, Abimbola Adekanmbi under the APM, and Abdulrahman Oriyomi Hamzat under the Accord Party.

Other parties represented in the governorship race include the African Action Congress (AAC), Action Democratic Party (ADP), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Action Peoples Party (APP), Labour Party (LP), Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), National Democratic Party (NDP), National Rescue Movement (NRM), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Young Progressives Party (YPP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).

The commission also published the final list of 378 candidates seeking election into the Oyo State House of Assembly, covering constituencies across the state.

The legislative contest will determine the composition of the next Assembly and the balance of political power between the executive and lawmakers. The number of candidates reflects the competition among parties for representation in the state legislature.

The release of the final list provides an official record of the candidates cleared for the contests ahead of the 2027 elections. Political parties and their candidates are expected to intensify mobilisation and campaign activities as the election approaches.

The governorship and House of Assembly elections will be held as separate contests, although both will shape the political direction of Oyo State. While the governorship election will determine who succeeds Governor Seyi Makinde, the Assembly election will decide which candidates represent the state’s constituencies in the legislature.

The results will determine the political relationship between the next governor and the Assembly, including the balance of power over lawmaking, budgets and oversight in the pace setters state.

INEC’s candidate lists are available on its “official website” (https://www.inecnigeria.org/press/2027-general-elections-update).