EXCLUSIVE: Senator Abiodun Ali at crossroads between Oyo governorship ambition, kingship
The Senator representing Oyo South Senatorial District, Sarafadeen Abiodun Ali may have been pushed into a dilemma, as he faces a tough choice between politics and tradition. Reliable sources indicate that he is the anointed candidate for the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship ticket in Oyo State, yet he is also a ranking chief eligible for coronation as a king.
The urgency of the decision is heightened by a directive from the Oyo State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, which ordered the immediate coronation of three newly elevated high chiefs in Ibadan to preserve tradition and prevent political speculation.
In a letter dated March 26, 2026, addressed to the Olubadan, Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, Commissioner Ademola Ojo stressed the need to confer beaded crowns on Akeem Bolaji Adewoyin, Sarafadeen Abiodun Ali, and Kola Babalola.
The ministry warned that any delay in crowning the chiefs could spark “unnecessary insinuations” of political interference, potentially undermining the integrity of Ibadan’s traditional institution.
The coronation ceremony is scheduled for April 3, 2026, at Mapo Hall, a historic venue for major cultural and civic events.
Political watchers suggest that the traditional title may be a strategic plot to influence Senator Ali’s political calculations, potentially luring him away from the contest for the Oyo State governorship.
