President Bola Tinubu told a senator that the APC must win Oyo State in 2027, the senator says. Senator AbdulFatai Buhari, who represents Oyo North, shared the account on Arise Television on Monday night. Tribune Online monitored the interview. The Presidency has not confirmed his account in the reports reviewed.
According to Buhari, Tinubu’s first question was, “Fatai, how is Oyo?” He said he replied that there was no problem. However, he said Tinubu pushed back and insisted there was one. Buhari described it as a challenge to deliver the state at the presidential, senatorial and state levels.
The senator’s account at a glance
| Senator | AbdulFatai Buhari (APC, Oyo North) |
| Where he spoke | Arise Television, Monday night |
| What he says Tinubu said | “We must win Oyo State” |
| Request one | Federal Medical Centre, Igboho |
| Request two | Military formation in Oriire Local Government Area |
| Status | Senator says Tinubu gave assurances; not independently confirmed |
Buhari also made a bold claim about Oyo politics. He said Oyo North has decided the governor since 1999. Ibadan has the most votes, he said, but it also has the most candidates. As a result, the votes split. He therefore argued that his area can tip the 2027 governorship race.
The senator said he used the meeting to lobby for projects. First, he asked for a Federal Medical Centre in Igboho. Both chambers have passed the bill, he said, and it now awaits the President’s signature. He added that Zacch Adedeji, the Nigeria Revenue Service chairman, was present. Second, he asked for a military formation in Oriire Local Government Area after children were abducted there.
He argued that a military presence would deter criminals. People who fled would return, he said. Meanwhile, bandits might move elsewhere. Buhari also recalled that his area once lacked a federal university and a federal secondary school. According to him, Tinubu later signed the bill for the Federal University of Agriculture and Technology, Okeho (FUNATO). He said the previous president left that bill unsigned.
Buhari said Tinubu assured him that the requests would be addressed. In politics, he said, a good scorecard and a strong personality win votes. Because Tinubu promised both, he called the Oyo win a done deal. He also said vote buying guarantees nothing, since some voters take money and vote differently. However, he declined to share the APC’s strategy.
The remarks come as parties prepare for the February 2027 election in Oyo. The APC presented Sharafadeen Alli as its governorship candidate in July 2026. Governor Seyi Makinde currently leads the state.
Sojworldnews could not independently confirm Tinubu’s words or the promises. We will update this report if the Presidency responds. This article presents the senator’s account.
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