The Social Democratic Party (SDP), Oyo State Chapter, has replaced its governorship candidate for the 2027 election, declaring that the party’s ticket is not available for political negotiation or bargaining.
At a substitution plenary held in Ibadan on Tuesday, the party ratified the replacement of Mr Michael Okunlade with Mogaji Agboola as its new governorship candidate.
The development marks a new phase in the SDP’s preparations for the 2027 governorship election, with the party charging Agboola to unite its members, strengthen its structures and expand its presence across the 33 local government areas of the state.
Speaking with journalists after his emergence, Agboola said the SDP was not positioning itself as a platform for political bargaining, but as a serious contender determined to win the governorship election.
“The SDP is not in the race for political bargaining. It is determined to win the governorship election and to introduce a new approach to governance in the state,” he said.
Agboola said the party would move away from what he described as “pedestrian thinking” and embrace system-based governance capable of transforming Oyo State’s human and material resources into sustainable economic opportunities. He also said his administration, if elected, would prioritise human development, skills acquisition and policies designed to make residents active participants in the state’s economic growth.
On the possibility of the SDP’s ticket being used as a bargaining chip ahead of 2027, Agboola was emphatic, saying there would be no negotiation. “The ticket is not open to political negotiation ahead of the 2027 election. The SDP is here to stay, and our intention is to take over this state,” he said, adding that the party intended to pursue victory on its own merit.
The new candidate also expressed readiness to publicly debate other governorship contenders on their policies and programmes, while promising an open-door approach towards members who may have become aggrieved by recent developments within the party.
Earlier, Okunlade congratulated Agboola and described his emergence as an important milestone for the SDP. He called on party members to respect the outcome of the process and work together towards victory in 2027.
Okunlade also warned against candidates who secure party platforms to contest elections and later distance themselves from the party’s structures. He stressed the need for unity, commitment and grassroots mobilisation, declaring: “We want victory, not negotiation. We want commitment, not abandonment. We want unity, not division.”
He further said allegations concerning the substitution process and his integrity would be addressed through appropriate legal channels where necessary, urging aggrieved members and aspirants to pursue democratic and lawful means of resolving their grievances rather than allowing internal disagreements to weaken the party ahead of the 2027 election.
