Oyo 2027: “Elect an Industrialist, Not Just Another Politician” — AAC Governorship Hopeful Daniel Popoola

As political conversations ahead of the 2027 governorship election in Oyo State continue to gather momentum, a governorship hopeful under the African Action Congress, Daniel Affis Popoola, has positioned himself as a different kind of candidate, one driven not by conventional politics, but by industrial experience and economic ideas he believes can transform the state.

Popoola, who boasts more than two decades of experience across multiple industries and manufacturing sectors, argues that Nigeria’s political space has for too long been dominated by career politicians with little understanding of how real economies are built.

According to him, governance should not only be about speeches, political alliances, or sharing appointments, but about understanding production, industrialization, and how to create sustainable wealth through local manufacturing.

He said many politicians lack practical knowledge of the processes that power industrial economies from converting tomatoes into paste and cocoa into chocolate, to refining raw materials into finished products such as steel, paper, and automobile components.

“There are thousands of jobs between raw materials and finished products,” Popoola said, stressing that industrialization remains one of the biggest missing links in Nigeria’s economic development.

The AAC governorship hopeful maintained that his years of working directly within manufacturing and processing industries have given him firsthand understanding of how economies create jobs, grow wealth, and reduce dependence on imports.

He believes Oyo State has the potential to become one of Nigeria’s leading industrial hubs if properly managed by leaders who understand production and value chains.

“Electing an industrialist is a vote for sustainable and profitable employment,” he stated.

Popoola further promised that, if elected governor in 2027, his administration would aggressively pursue industrial expansion capable of creating more jobs than there are job seekers in Oyo State within four years.

In one of his policy proposals aimed at encouraging innovation among young people, he pledged that his government would offset the NELFUND loans of graduates who develop ideas capable of solving national problems or employing at least five people, regardless of their academic grades.

According to him, the focus of leadership should shift from paper qualifications alone to practical solutions that can improve lives and stimulate economic growth.

He also expressed confidence that residents of Oyo State would begin to feel the impact of his economic policies within six months of assuming office through increased employment opportunities and improved income circulation.
Popoola, an alumnus of the University of Ibadan and the Institute for Industrial Technology, said his academic background in Engineering and Chemistry, combined with over 20 years of industrial exposure across North America, Africa, and Asia, has prepared him for the task ahead.

He revealed that he has worked in more than 40 manufacturing and processing industries of international repute and is now determined to deploy that experience toward building industries, creating jobs, and reducing Africa’s dependence on foreign economies such as China.

For Popoola, the 2027 governorship race is not merely about politics, but about redefining leadership through productivity, industrial growth, and economic self-reliance.