Olubadan-designate, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, has dismissed suggestions that he opposes governorship aspirants from outside the Ibadan zone in Oyo State.

Speaking at his Bodija residence in Ibadan, Ladoja said other zones can achieve their ambitions if they work together with Ibadan, given the city’s large population and voting strength.

He explained that what matters most is not where a candidate comes from but their quality and ability to serve. “Other zones must give us somebody we can support — someone trustworthy and capable,” he said.

Ladoja recalled that as governor, he had planned to support his deputy from Ogbomoso, Dr. Adebayo Alao-Akala, to succeed him, after which the position could rotate across zones. This, he noted, would have given every part of the state a fair chance at leadership.

Community leaders who visited him praised his sense of justice and unity, describing him as a leader with vast political and traditional experience. They expressed confidence that he would use his wisdom to strengthen peace and development across Oyo State.

Since 1999, almost every governor of Oyo State has come from Ibadan, making the zoning debate a recurring topic in the state’s politics.