Popular Ibadan-based broadcaster and founder of Agidigbo FM, Oriyomi Hamzat, has explained why he reacted fiercely to a recent caller who declared on air that he would not win if he contests the 2027 governorship election in Oyo State.
Hamzat, speaking in a statement titled Oriyomi Hamzat and the Caller’s Rant: A Battle Between Vision and Viciousness on Monday, described the remarks made by the overseas-based caller during a live programme as a calculated attack, not sincere political advice.
“Let’s be clear: what we witnessed wasn’t a sincere critique meant to guide or offer alternative perspectives. It was a deliberate attempt to belittle, discourage, and delegitimize a man whose influence and popularity have been built not on godfathers or political patronage, but on years of fearless journalism, public advocacy, and people-centered philanthropy.”
The caller had warned Hamzat not to count on public goodwill translating into electoral victory, suggesting he would lose even in the area where his radio station is located.
The caller said, “Don’t listen to those who are saying Oyo is calling Oriyomi Hamzat. They are only lying. Although you are helping the masses, don’t rely on them that when it is election time, they will vote for you. They will not.
“Don’t let them deceive you. Even the area where your radio station is located, if politicians take money there, you will lose the polling unit.
“It is true that you are a good person and qualified, but the masses will not vote for you.”
Hamzat dismissed the comments as undemocratic and elitist, arguing that only the people and not anonymous voices can determine who is electable.
“To tell a man who has consistently spoken truth to power, who has risked personal freedom to fight for the vulnerable, and who has spent his resources in philanthropic causes from education to healthcare that he is unworthy of leadership is the height of insincerity and deliberate mischief.”
He rejected the notion that his media visibility undermines his credibility, stating that “philanthropy with a microphone is still philanthropy.”
According to him, his work through Agidigbo FM has amplified the voices of the vulnerable and facilitated meaningful interventions.
“And let’s not forget: a microphone can make noise, but it cannot manufacture impact. The love I command in communities across Oyo State is not bought with airtime, it is earned through years of showing up, speaking up, and standing firm.”
Hamzat also criticised those who predict political outcomes based on past voting patterns, insisting that today’s electorate is more informed and no longer swayed by traditional power structures.
“Ambition is not delusional, what is delusional is thinking the people still need permission from political elite to choose their next leader,” he stated.
He emphasised that he has not yet declared for any office, but if he does, he deserves the same respect any citizen seeking to serve should receive.
“I have not declared an intention to run for any office but if I do, I deserve the same courtesy any citizen seeking to serve should receive: open-mindedness, fair debate, and respect. It’s perfectly fine to disagree with my methods or politics but it is absolutely wrong and dangerous to silence me with mockery or attempt to pre-emptively bury my political future with words soaked in malice.
“To those who think throwing insults will stop the movement I represents, think again. You cannot intimidate a man who has stood toe-to-toe with tyranny and lived to amplify the cries of the oppressed. You cannot drown the voice of a people’s champion with shallow commentary.”
We reports that Hamzat had earlier expressed confidence that he would win the 2027 governorship election if he decides to run.