Segun Atanda/
Senator Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli, representing Oyo South Senatorial District, on Monday evening visited President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at his Ikoyi residence in Lagos, in what observers describe as a politically significant engagement coming amid growing speculation about the 2027 governorship race in Oyo State.
Photos from the visit, which surfaced online shortly after the meeting, show the senator in a private audience with the president, fuelling discussions within the All Progressives Congress about his possible emergence as a consensus governorship candidate in the state.
While no official statement was issued on the purpose of the meeting, party insiders and political watchers have linked the visit to ongoing consultations within the APC ahead of the next electoral cycle.
The meeting comes at a time when alignments within Oyo politics are beginning to crystallise, with several tendencies reportedly seeking a unifying candidate to challenge the incumbent administration.
The development also coincides with recent controversy surrounding the Ibadan chieftaincy system, where Alli was among three high chiefs who requested a postponement of their coronation ceremony.
The Oyo State Government, however, proceeded with the event at Mapo Hall despite their absence, drawing attention to the unusual development.
The senator’s absence from the ceremony, alongside others affected, has generated speculation within political and traditional circles.
Although official explanations cited unavailability and a formal request for postponement, alternative narratives have emerged suggesting deeper political undertones.
Some reports have indicated that the boycott may not be entirely disconnected from broader political calculations, with insiders claiming the move was partly aimed at managing sensitivities around Alli’s rising profile within the APC.
While these claims remain unverified, they have added another layer to the already complex interplay between politics and traditional authority in Ibadanland.
Central to this unfolding dynamic is the role of the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, a former governor of Oyo State and a longstanding political figure in the region.
Ladoja, who once served as governor between 2003 and 2007, later ascended the throne as the 44th Olubadan in 2025, becoming one of the rare figures to straddle both political and traditional leadership at the highest level.
Alli’s political trajectory is closely linked to Ladoja. The senator served as Secretary to the State Government and later Chief of Staff during Ladoja’s administration, a relationship that has continued to shape perceptions of his political base and influence.
This longstanding association has further fuelled suggestions that any major political move by Alli is unlikely to be entirely disconnected from the broader Ibadan power structure.
The convergence of these developments, a high-level meeting with the president, speculation about a consensus APC ticket, and the coronation controversy, has heightened interest in Alli’s next political steps.
Although neither the APC nor the senator has formally confirmed any governorship ambition, the timing of events has strengthened the perception that early positioning for the 2027 race is already underway.
For now, the Ikoyi meeting remains officially a courtesy visit. However, within Oyo’s evolving political landscape, it is being read as part of a wider and more strategic calculation that could shape the state’s next leadership contest.
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