Bimbo Adekanbi
Governor of Oyo State · Allied Peoples Movement (APM)
An Ibadan son and chartered accountant who spent nine years helping run Oyo State's finances. Here's the record, the agenda, and the honest answers to the hard questions.
The story so far
Hon. Abimbola Olalere Adekanmbi, popularly known as Bimbo Adekanmbi (also spelled Adekanbi), is a Nigerian chartered accountant, public finance specialist and politician. He is the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) candidate for Governor of Oyo State in the election scheduled for 6 February 2027. He was born in Ibadan, Oyo State, to Reverend Olalere Adekanmbi (a clergyman and a founding member of the Omo Aj'orosun Club, Ibadan) and Madam Ashiyanbi Adekanmbi (a well-known trader in Bodija Market), of Ile Ojo Seriki Compound, Beyerunka, Ibadan. He is the second child of the family. He was born and raised in Ibadan — growing up across the Apata, Iwo Road and Bodija areas — and describes himself as a son of Ibadan. His public date of birth is 5 April 1973; the campaign is best placed to confirm the exact date, and his specific Local Government Area of origin is not stated in public sources and should be confirmed with the campaign.
Why he is running
Adekanmbi frames his candidacy around competence, continuity and capacity, drawing on his background as a chartered accountant and public finance manager. He has said his decision to contest was driven not by a desire for political power but by the need to provide purposeful and accountable leadership for the people of Oyo State. In his own words: "I am ready to be held accountable because governance is about the people and not about the individual occupying the office," and "I stand out. I have the experience and native intelligence to be the next governor of Oyo State." His core proposition is continuity with the Makinde administration — especially sustaining the regular payment of salaries and pensions — combined with a more data-driven method of his own, including using accurate data and a state poverty map to target resources where they are most needed.
The 2027 candidacy
In May 2026, Adekanmbi emerged as the consensus governorship candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) for the 2027 Oyo State governorship election, following the party's primary in Ibadan, and received the party's flag and Certificate of Return. Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde publicly named him his preferred successor, defending the choice with the argument that "party colour doesn't matter" and that competence should determine who is entrusted with governance. Makinde also advised him publicly: "Don't inherit my enemies, chart your own path." In his acceptance he pledged to build on the Makinde administration's programmes. The election is scheduled for Saturday, 6 February 2027 (for governorship and state assembly seats), under INEC's revised timetable.
From the ministry to the ballot
1998
Graduates in Accounting from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.
2002–2011
Finance and management consultant in the UK; qualifies as a Fellow of the ACCA (FCCA).
2011
Joins Oyo State Government as Deputy Chief of Staff to Gov. Abiola Ajimobi.
to 2019
Commissioner for Finance, Budget and Planning through a national revenue downturn.
2023
Contests the Oyo South senatorial seat (APC) — unsuccessfully. His only election so far.
2024
Chairs the ~N41bn Ibadan (Ladoke Akintola) airport upgrade committee.
Dec 2025
Formally joins the PDP.
May 2026
Emerges APM governorship candidate; endorsed by Gov. Seyi Makinde as preferred successor.
The agenda
These are the directions he has stated publicly. A full manifesto with measurable 100-day, six-month and one-year targets is promised. Where the detail is not yet public, this page says so rather than filling the gap.
The economy and people's livelihoods
Public Finance and Workers' Welfare
Public finance is Adekanmbi's core area of expertise, as a chartered accountant and former Commissioner for Finance, Budget and Planning. He has committed to sustaining the regular payment of workers' salaries and pensions, saying: "I won't have a problem paying workers' salaries and pensions because Governor Makinde has set a standard, and I have learnt a lot from his administration." He has pledged to run a transparent and accountable administration in which public resources are used for the benefit of the people. Detailed forward positions on internally generated revenue (IGR), taxation and state debt strategy have not yet been set out publicly and are expected in the forthcoming manifesto.
Economy, Jobs and Youth Employment
Adekanmbi's stated economic approach is to create an investment- and business-friendly environment and to reduce the bureaucratic obstacles that entrepreneurs face. On youth employment, he argues government cannot be the primary employer, saying: "We cannot continue to tell our young people to wait for government jobs when the government alone cannot employ everybody. What we need is a government that will create the conditions for young people to become employers of labour." He proposes prioritising skills acquisition, entrepreneurship, and technical and vocational education so young people become economically productive. Specific programmes, targets and funding are expected in the forthcoming manifesto.
Agriculture and Food Security
Adekanmbi describes agriculture as "a major area of opportunity" for Oyo State. His stated position is that the state must move beyond producing raw agricultural commodities into processing and value chains that create jobs and generate additional revenue. He proposes supporting farmers with improved access to inputs, modern farming techniques, financing, processing facilities and markets, and connecting farms to markets and urban areas through better roads. Specific schemes, targets and funding are expected in the forthcoming manifesto and have not yet been published.
Services and everyday life
Education Policy
Education is one of Adekanmbi's priority areas. His stated positions are: rehabilitating public schools and providing essential learning facilities; strengthening technical and vocational education; and aligning the education system with the demands of the modern economy so students gain practical skills for employment and entrepreneurship. On out-of-school children, he has said: "I'll use accurate data to plan for out-of-school children and provide targeted intervention. We need a poverty map." He has also reflected personally that but for education he might have ended up as a meat seller, using this to underline how much schooling can change a life. Detailed programmes, targets and funding are expected in the forthcoming manifesto and have not yet been published.
Healthcare Policy
Healthcare is one of Adekanmbi's priority areas. His stated position is to strengthen primary healthcare centres across the state and improve access to affordable medical services, with particular attention to rural communities. He has said residents should not have to travel long distances to access basic healthcare. Detailed proposals, targets and funding are expected in the forthcoming manifesto and have not yet been published.
Infrastructure, Roads and the Circular Road
Infrastructure is one of Adekanmbi's priority areas. He proposes a coordinated approach to road development that emphasises connectivity between rural communities, agricultural centres, markets and urban areas. He has committed specifically to completing the Ibadan Circular Road, and has disclosed that he personally lost land in the Ona-Ara area to the project's right of way, saying no sacrifice is too great for the state's advancement and pledging to deliver the project regardless. He also chairs the committee overseeing the c. N41 billion upgrade of the Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport, Ibadan. Specific figures and timelines for the wider road programme are expected in the forthcoming manifesto.
Security
Security is one of Adekanmbi's priority areas, and he argues that economic development is difficult to achieve without adequate security — residents and investors need to be able to live, work and do business safely. His stated position is to strengthen collaboration between government, security agencies and communities to improve the security of lives and property across the state. In May 2026 he led an APM delegation on a condolence visit to the Ahoro-Esinele, Yawota and neighbouring Oriire communities following an attack and abductions there, and expressed confidence in the rescue efforts of the state government and security agencies. A detailed, specific security policy is expected in the forthcoming manifesto; as at the research cut-off his public position on security was directional rather than detailed.
How he intends to govern
Technology, Digital Government and Data-Driven Governance
Technology and data-driven governance are a consistent theme for Adekanmbi. He is a certified SAP FICO consultant and a pioneer member of the NESG Digital Economy Policy Commission (2020). He proposes evidence-led governance: using accurate data for planning, and building a comprehensive state poverty map to determine where poverty is concentrated and direct resources accordingly. He has indicated that the forthcoming manifesto will include a dedicated section on digital economy and innovation, aimed partly at expanding access to education. Specific programmes and targets have not yet been published.
Leadership Philosophy
Adekanmbi presents governance as a relationship of accountability rather than a possession of office, saying "governance is about the people and not about the individual occupying the office." He publicly welcomes criticism: "I am not going into government to silence people. If you see something that is wrong, tell me. If I make a mistake, criticise me. If the criticism is constructive, it will help us to correct ourselves and serve the people better." His documented principles include competence over party affiliation, evidence-based governance, transparency, fiscal discipline, and a limited view of the state as employer (with the private sector creating most jobs). He cites exposure to several former Oyo governors — Ladoja, Alao-Akala, Ajimobi and Makinde — as having given him different approaches to governance to learn from.
The questions people ask
An honest assistant should be able to address the main criticisms fairly. The recurring ones are: (1) Godfatherism — that because Governor Makinde endorsed him before the primary and he was adopted by consensus, his candidacy reflects imposition. Both Adekanmbi and Makinde have publicly rejected this; Makinde has said he will not become a political godfather and told him to "chart your own path." Whether the endorsement amounts to godfatherism is a matter of political opinion, on which reasonable people differ. (2) Party-switching — moving from APC to PDP to an APM ticket within about eighteen months. The sequence is factual; he and Makinde argue competence should outweigh party label, and note that two opposing administrations each trusted him with senior roles. (3) Accountability for Ajimobi-era finances — as former finance commissioner he has himself spoken publicly about mismanagement in that administration. Importantly, no criminal conviction, indictment, prosecution or adverse court or regulatory finding against him personally was located in public sources. This is a sensitive, nuanced topic; the assistant should stick to these documented points, avoid speculation about motives, and suggest visitors contact the campaign for a fuller account.
Ask the assistant the hard questions →Away from politics
Adekanmbi is a Christian and is married to Dr. Olukemi Adekanmbi, a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, and Acting Director of the college's Infectious Disease Institute. They have three children, and the family lives in Ibadan, Oyo State. His late father, Reverend Olalere Adekanmbi, was a clergyman and a founding member of the Omo Aj'orosun Club in Ibadan; his mother, Madam Ashiyanbi Adekanmbi, was a well-known trader in Bodija Market.
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Ask the campaign assistant anything about Bimbo — his record, his plans, or the difficult questions. English or Yoruba.
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