2027: Suspense Ends As Kwara APC Chooses Seun Oguniyi As Deputy Governorship Candidate…Why Shade Omoniyi Lost Out
Hon Seun Ogunniyi, who is popularly called ‘Adato’, has emerged as Kwara State APC deputy governorship candidate, ending months of intense political suspense and internal party deliberations.
The young politician will run on a gubernatorial ticket with the current Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Rt Hon Salihu Yakubu Danladi, who had emerged as APC guber candidate on May 22, 2026.
This development ended a five-month placeholder arrangement previously held by Bello Mubarak Salau and the party’s decisive decision is coming just days after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) displayed the final list of candidates and running mates for the 13 cleared political parties at its state headquarters in Olorunsogo, Ilorin, the state capital.
While 12 other political parties including the PDP, NNPP, SDP, and APGA had long finalised their running mates, that of APC had remained strictly ‘tentative’ due to deep-seated competing interests and loyalties, and intense lobbying from various party stakeholders.
High-profile figures within the party, including the state APC Chairman, Prince Sunday Fagbemi and the Executive Chairman of the Kwara State Internal Revenue Service (KWIRS), Mrs. Sherifat Shade Omoniyi, were heavily touted as potential contenders for the deputy governorship position before leaders of the party ultimately chose Oguniyi.
Insiders revealed that the choice of ‘Adato’ is a strategic masterstroke designed to quell recent political discontent and rumblings within the crucial Offa axis. Recognising the decisive power of the Ilorin and Offa voting blocs, party strategists have apparently opted to solidify their grip on the southern electorate with Oguniyi’s selection, based on the calculated political understanding that an indigene of Ilorin will be the next Speaker of the state house of assembly.
With the electoral umpire giving the final nod to the APC alongside 12 other political parties including the Action Alliance (AA), APP, ADC, NDC, Accord Party, ADP, NDP, and APM, the stage is now fully set for a highly competitive 2027 Kwara State governorship race.
However, it is not clear if the rumblings of annoyance in the state APC have been fully addressed by the emergence of Hon. Oguninyi as the deputy governorship candidate and if Offa people have gotten pacified. Many are actually looking forward to observing the mood and facial expressions of party stakeholders at the upcoming unveiling ceremony of Speaker Danladi’s running mate
Sources told Team@orientactualmags.com that Mrs Shade Omoniyi nee Yusuf narrowly missed being chosen as the party’s deputy governorship candidate despite initial high-level consideration.
Following the micro-zoning of the deputy governorship slot to Offa, Mrs. Omoniyi reportedly topped the shortlist, however, her ambition was thwarted after core politicians and key stakeholders strongly objected to her candidacy on three major grounds.
According to party insiders, stakeholders resisted her nomination based on local geopolitics, political accessibility, and cultural alignment.
Although Mrs. Omoniyi is a native of Offa, she is however considered as a ‘semi-indigene’ of Irepodun Local Government by stakeholders in her hometown.
Her husband, Engineer Abiodun Omoniyi, hails from Okeya-Ipo, Irepodun local government, and those who opposed her nomination had argued that choosing her as APC Deputy Governorship candidate to represent Offa is like having an Igbomina woman who is disguised in Ibolo clothing , citing her dual ties.
Since assuming office as the KWIRS boss, she reportedly kept politicians from Offa at arm’s length while frequently brushing aside political overtures by claiming to be a strict technocrat rather than a politician, stakeholders in Offa also alleged that she has identified more closely with the Igbomina people than her native Ibolo community.
‘She is from Offa but the Offa people are complaining that we have snatched her from them. Her husband is the Asiwaju of Okeya-Ipo while she is the Yeye Asiwaju of the town, they are saying she will be like an Igbomina woman disguised in Ibolo clothing’ she said.
This development caps off a challenging political season for the Yusuf family.
Just weeks ago, Hon. Abdulwaheed Gbenga Yusuf’s bid to get renominated as House of Assembly candidate by the APC ended in futility.
Hon. Abdulwaheed Gbenga Yusuf, who is popularly called JK, currently represents Eesha/Shawo/Igboidun state constituency, Offa in the state House of Assembly, but he will not be retaining his parliament seat next year
The state lawmaker and Mrs Shade Omoniyi are siblings.
In the meanwhile, following Hon Ogunniyi’s nomination as Deputy Governorship candidate, Hon. Giwa has emerged as his replacement. Having lost out in the House of Assembly primary election held a few weeks ago but remained loyal to the party, Hon. Giwa will now be the party’s new House of Assembly candidate.
This is the second time an indigene of Offa will get nominated as Deputy Governorship candidate of a major political party
Late Chief Jimoh Olaloye Anibilowo Shittu, who was the Ajiroba of Offa, was the NPN Deputy governorship candidate in 1979 and he eventually served as deputy governor of old Kwara State.
Recall also that Elder Olawuyi Julius Olayide, an indigene of Offa, was also announced as Kwara State ADC deputy governorship candidate by the state chairman of the party, Hon. Babatunde Mohammed after presiding over a strategic meeting in Ilorin two months ago.
Ahead of the Kwara State 2027 governorship election, the ancient city has produced deputy governorship candidates of the ruling party, APC and one of the leading opposition parties, ADC.
Kwara State APC deputy governorship candidate, Hon Seun Oguniyi is a member of the state house of assembly and he currently represents Ojomu Balogun state Constituency.
This is the first time two members of a state house of assembly will be on a gubernatorial ticket in the country.
Recall that in Bayelsa State, Governor Douye Diri and the late Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo were members of the 8th Senate before taking office as governor and deputy governor in February 2020.
If elected governor next year, Speaker Danladi will also join the league of Nigerian politicians who served as Speakers before becoming the governors of their respective states, including Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, Alhaji Adamu Fintiri, and Sheriff Oborevwori–Team@
