The Oyo State governorship candidate of the Accord Party, Oriyomi Hamzat, has declared his support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027, insisting that he cannot work against the President while remaining loyal to his party.
Hamzat made the position known on Saturday while speaking with journalists on the sidelines of the University of Ibadan’s 2026 convocation and 78th Foundation Day ceremony, where he graduated with a master’s degree in Peace and Conflict Resolution.
His declaration followed a meeting with former Senate Leader, Teslim Folarin, who reportedly visited him in Ibadan to seek his support and that of Accord members for Tinubu’s second-term ambition.
The broadcaster and Chief Executive Officer of 88.7 Agidigbo FM said Accord had adopted Tinubu as its presidential candidate for the 2027 election, adding that he would abide by the party’s decision.
“Our party, Accord, does not have a presidential candidate. So, the party picked Bola Tinubu to be our presidential candidate that the party will work with. I cannot do anti-party. I have to follow the guidelines of my party. We will work for Tinubu,” he said.
He added that opposing the President would be counterproductive to his governorship ambition, particularly as he prepares to challenge established political figures in Oyo State.
“Secondly, I’m a governorship candidate struggling to have my way out of the big politicians that I’m facing. So, for me to come out and say I’m working against Tinubu, when we don’t have another candidate, it’s counterproductive,” he said.
On his governorship ambition, Hamzat ruled out withdrawing from the race, declaring that he was determined to contest and serve the people of the state.
“I’m contesting. I’m not desperate to be in a position, but I’m determined to serve my people. I will never step down for anyone,” he said.
He promised to unveil a people-focused manifesto, describing it as a programme designed around the welfare and development needs of residents.
“The best thing that will happen to Oyo is to have Oriyomi Hamzat as their next governor. I will soon unveil my manifesto, and my manifesto will be one of its kind because it is a people-centric manifesto. It is centred on the people,” he said.
Hamzat also pledged to establish mediation centres across the state’s 33 local government areas to address disputes at the grassroots before they escalate into security challenges.
“Our government will create a mediation centre throughout the 33 local governments of the state before the problem boomerangs. It could be settled within the micro-settings of our society,” he said.
Explaining his decision to pursue a postgraduate degree in Peace and Conflict Resolution, the candidate said he wanted to complement his traditional knowledge of dispute settlement with formal academic training.
He said his experience had previously relied on indigenous methods and the conflict-resolution practices passed down by earlier generations, but his studies at the University of Ibadan exposed areas where he needed further knowledge.
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