The Oyo State governorship candidate of the Accord Party, Oriyomi Hamzat, has declared his support for President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general election, saying he has no intention of working against the President.
Hamzat made the declaration while speaking with journalists on Saturday during the University of Ibadan’s 2026 convocation and 78th Foundation Day celebration, where he received a master’s degree in Peace and Conflict Resolution.
Hamzat, an Ibadan-based radio presenter and Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of 88.7 Agidigbo FM, explained that his position was based on his party’s decision to support Tinubu for another presidential term.
His comments followed a meeting with former Senate Leader, Teslim Folarin, who visited him in Ibadan to solicit his support and that of other Accord Party members for Tinubu’s re-election bid.
Explaining his stance, the governorship hopeful said the Accord Party had adopted Tinubu as its preferred presidential candidate, adding that he would not engage in any activity contrary to his party’s position.
He said, “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.
“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.”
On his ambition to become Oyo State governor, Hamzat dismissed the possibility of withdrawing from the race in favour of another aspirant, insisting that he remained committed to contesting the election.
“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.
The Accord candidate also promised to introduce a manifesto that would prioritise the needs of residents and promote development at the grassroots.
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He expressed confidence in his chances, describing his proposed agenda as people-focused and aimed at improving the welfare of the state’s 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 further disclosed that his administration, if elected, would establish mediation centres in all 33 local government areas of the state to address disputes before they develop into serious security concerns.
According to him, the proposed centres would provide opportunities for disagreements to be resolved within communities before escalating.
“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.
Speaking on his decision to study Peace and Conflict Resolution at the University of Ibadan, Hamzat said he wanted to complement his practical experience in traditional conflict resolution with formal academic knowledge.
He explained that he had previously relied on indigenous methods and the dispute-resolution practices passed down by previous generations but discovered the need for further knowledge after enrolling at the institution.
“Before now, I had been using native intelligence and the experience of our forefathers, how they settle disputes. When I got to the University of Ibadan to get a certificate to back me up, I realised there were so many areas that I needed to work on,” he said.