Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has given the clearest indication yet that he may endorse a successor from within his current team ahead of the 2027 governorship election, saying the move would ensure continuity and deepen the roadmap for sustainable development.

The governor made this known on Thursday during the Stakeholders’ Consultative and Engagement Meeting on the 2026 Budget, held at the Ogunlana Hall, International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan.

Governor Makinde, whose second term winds down in 2027, explained that while the final decision on who becomes the next governor remains with the people of Oyo State, he may recommend someone who understands and aligns with the developmental trajectory of his administration.

“If we put anybody forward in our team, what it means is that we have evaluated that individual. It wouldn’t be about the individual per se. If, within the team, we have a roadmap for continued development of Oyo State for 2027 and beyond, and we have people within that team who have already bought into it, that would be the best path forward,” Makinde said.

He stressed that Oyo residents are now politically aware and will not be swayed by slogans or sentiments but by a candidate’s capacity to deliver on governance.

“The decision on who would be the next governor rests with the people of Oyo State. We will make our own submission to the people, because Oyo State has gone beyond stunt politics. Maybe it used to happen in the past. Now, Oyo State people will ask you questions,” he noted.

Governor Makinde’s remarks signal an emerging succession plan that aims to preserve his administration’s policy gains and institutional reforms beyond his tenure.

The comment is expected to stir political interest as analysts, party loyalists, and citizens begin to look more closely at key members of his cabinet and political inner circle for potential successors.

Makinde, who was first elected in 2019 and re-elected in 2023, has been widely commended for infrastructural renewal, fiscal reforms, and people-centred governance in Oyo State.