The Special Adviser on Media and Chief Press Secretary to Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju, has challenged the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Sharafadeen Alli, to appear on national television or state broadcasting houses, and publicly present his economic agenda ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
Speaking to westernmirror.com.ng in an exclusive media chat on Friday in his office, the governor’s spokesman said the Senator’s record in public service has become a terrifying shadow to avoid.
Olanrewaju posed the challenge while drawing attention to the recent appearances of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) governorship candidate, Bimbo Adekanmbi, and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Olooye Adegboyega Adegoke, on the national television station, where they discussed their political ambitions and plans for Oyo State.
He questioned when Alli would also submit himself and his proposals to public scrutiny and explain to residents of the state and Nigerians at large what he intends to offer if elected governor.
Adekanmbi, a former Commissioner for Finance under the late Governor Abiola Ajimobi, featured on ARISE Television’s Morning Show on September 15, where he discussed his governorship ambition, experience in public administration and vision for Oyo State.
He had also featured on several state broadcasting houses where he continues to articulate his vision and idea on governance to the people of Oyo state ahead of the forthcoming general elections.
Adegoke also appeared on the programme to present his perspectives on the state’s development and the 2027 political contest as well as on other state broadcasting houses.
The challenge from Makinde’s media adviser comes amid increasing political exchanges among the major contenders, with governance, economic management, workers’ welfare, education, healthcare, infrastructure and local government administration emerging as key campaign issues.
In particular, Olanrewaju’s comment raises questions about the extent to which candidates are prepared to defend their policy proposals beyond political rallies, campaign statements and media releases.
Alli, who is currently representing Oyo South Senatorial District in the National Assembly, has previously outlined several policy proposals, including local government autonomy, free education, improved healthcare delivery, agricultural development and workers’ welfare.
As recently as Thursday, October 29, the APC candidate reportedly reiterated his education agenda at a leadership dialogue in Ibadan.
However, the challenge now is for him to take his proposals to a wider statewide audience and explain how his plans would be financed, implemented and sustained.
According to Olanrewaju, the APC governorship candidate has nothing to offer the state other than advance the interest of his campaign financiers.
He said the APC is doing everything to return the state to when the son of nobody will continue to struggle to become somebody.
Olanrewaju recalled how Makinde institutionalized the digitalization of employment in the state for children of nobody to favorably complete with children of influential people in the state.
He said the transformation introduced by the Makinde administration which has seen thousands of unemployed youths gainfully employed into the state civil service without any political connections or going to cue behind politicians in their homes has yielded the desired results.
“Senator Sarafa Alli is just a political project being sponsored by some few individuals who believe Oyo state should be their private estate where the destiny of millions is at their whims and caprice.
“Sarafa himself knows that he has absolutely nothing to offer other than the mere desperation to be called Mr Governor. What he’s failing to realize is that Oyo state has moved far beyond that era of political grandstanding.
“The people are wiser, more political aware and conscious of their rights as citizens. So, it is easy to understand why he has deliberately refused to lay out his plans for the state in plain black and white like Adekanmbi has done.
“The whole world saw earlier when governor Makinde went to meet with affected property owners of the ongoing circular road project and how they received their loving governor with dance and eulogies.
“Those who thought they could champion their political campaign on the backdrop of false propaganda, relentless attacks against the governor now know what awaits them at the poll.
“It’s impossible to build a house on lies because the truth will always catch up and shatter it from top to bottom. That is why we keep saying since Sarafa Alli is the best material Oyo APC can provide for the 2027 governorship contest, we want to, as a matter of fact, engage with him on sector by sector basis so that the electorate who are the real owners of the mandate can make informed decisions for themselves.
“Apart from the rare opportunities Alli has had to occupy public offices as a result of those backing him for selfish political interests, can we point to any impact of those offices occupied by Alli in the lives of the people?
“APC is trying hard to sell Alli as someone who had occupied several public office and project that as impact but they failed because that is like selling a student with poor academic records in the same class with other brilliant students in the same class.
“The only choice before the people of Oyo state come 2027 is to choose between going forward on a steady trajectory of sustainable economic and infrastructural development and to return to the era of political establishments dominating and controlling their destiny.
“And I’m very certain that with what the people on the circular road did for the governor yesterday, they have become wiser and politically aware to reject Alli and the APC from top to bottom.
” As a matter of fact, now that governor Makinde has resolved the issue Alli and his APC tried so hard to make a political tool for their campaign, and the world already knows the position of the Constitution on Local Government Autonomy, we’re waiting to see what else he will try to run with as a propaganda tool,” Olanrewaju said.
He expressed optimism and confidence that Governor Makinde will defeat Pesident Bola Tinubu and the Adekanmbi would succeed him come 2027.
While expressing appreciation to the people of Oyo state particularly affected property owners on the circular road, Olanrewaju urged the electorate to continue to stand by their governor against what he described as enemies of their collective destiny as a people.
