INEC Lists Oriyomi Hamzat as Accord Candidate for Oyo 2027 Governorship Election

By Ibrahim Kegbegbe

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has listed Oriyomi Hamzat Abdulrahman as the Accord Party’s governorship candidate for the 2027 Oyo State election, while his rival, Olakunle Busari, popularly known as Gudugudu, is absent from the supplied final list.

Oriyomi Hamzat Abdulrahman has emerged as the candidate listed for the Accord Party in the forthcoming Oyo State governorship election, according to the final list of candidates attributed to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The development represents a significant moment in the political contest surrounding the Accord Party’s governorship ticket, which has been the subject of controversy following the emergence of rival claims to the party’s nomination.

The final list identifies Hamzat as the Accord Party’s governorship candidate for Oyo State, placing his name among the candidates presented for the 2027 election.

According to the document supplied, Hamzat, 46, is listed alongside his running mate, Adesokan Taiwo Bimpe, who is 64. The entry also contains their respective personal details and educational qualifications.

Hamzat’s listing comes amid a protracted dispute involving Olakunle Busari, popularly known as Gudugudu, who has also laid claim to the Accord Party’s governorship ticket.

The dispute dates back to May 2026, when rival groups within the party announced competing outcomes from separate governorship primary elections. While one group recognised Hamzat as its candidate, another declared Busari the winner of a parallel exercise. Previous media reports have documented the disagreement and the competing claims surrounding the nomination.

The latest list supplied for this report names Hamzat as the Accord Party’s candidate but does not include Busari among the candidates shown in the document. This development could have implications for the political contest within the party as preparations for the 2027 governorship election continue.

However, the absence of Busari’s name from the supplied list does not, by itself, establish that INEC formally disqualified him. An official statement or relevant documentation confirming the specific decision would be required to establish the grounds for his exclusion.

The Merit Newspaper reports that the development is expected to draw further attention to the Accord Party’s preparations for the Oyo governorship election, particularly as political stakeholders and supporters follow the dispute over who is legally recognised to represent the party.

For now, the key point reflected in the supplied final list is that Oriyomi Hamzat Abdulrahman is named as the Accord Party’s governorship candidate for Oyo State in the 2027 election.