Says Oyo part of top 10 decider of 2027 presidential election outcome
Senator AbdulFatai Buhari, representing Oyo North Senatorial District, has revealed the demands he presented to President Bola Tinubu during a meeting in Abuja, saying the commitments could strengthen the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s chances in Oyo State ahead of the 2027 elections.
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Buhari disclosed this during an appearance on Arise News on Monday night, where he described Oyo as one of the states that would be crucial to the outcome of the next presidential election.
The senator said Oyo is among the top 10 states that will determine the outcome of the 2027 elections, citing its large voting population of more than three million registered voters.
“Oyo is one of the deciding states in the next election. The President said we must win, I said there is no problem, he said there’s a problem, we laughed,” Buhari said.
He added that Oyo North would play a crucial role in determining the outcome of the governorship election, arguing that although Ibadan has a large voting population, the number of candidates contesting in the city often leads to vote splitting.
Speaking about his meeting with Tinubu, Buhari who said one of the three key demands has been met added that he presented demands for federal projects and infrastructure that he believed would benefit Oyo North and help strengthen the APC’s position in the state.
He said that when he first contested for the Senate, the area lacked a federal government secondary school and a university.
Buhari also recalled discussing the need for a Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Igboho, saying he asked Zacch Adedeji to help secure the facility for the area.
“In Oyo, we don’t have a Federal Medical Centre. We need one in Igboho. If you can sign it, we are fine,” he recalled saying.
The senator further said he requested a military formation in Oriire Local Government Area following the kidnapping of children in the area.
He argued that the presence of a military formation would help deter criminal activities, adding that Tinubu had assured him the request would be addressed.
Buhari said the commitments, alongside the government’s record and the President’s personality, would be important factors in securing votes in the state.
“In politics, we have what we call scorecard. When you have that and personality, people will vote for you. Because he promised to give us both, it’s a done deal,” he said.
The senator declined to disclose the APC’s strategy for the 2027 elections, saying he would not reveal the party’s plans publicly.
On vote buying, Buhari argued that candidates could not assume that voters who collected money would necessarily vote for them.
“People will take your money and not vote for you,” he said, adding that the APC would instead communicate Tinubu’s promises to voters in a bid to secure their support.
He also addressed the controversy surrounding the Senate’s handling of the proposal to return former House leaders, describing the episode as “just a theatre.”
