The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, has unveiled an ambitious governance agenda, pledging to prioritise education, grant full autonomy to local government councils and restore the 13th-month salary for civil servants if elected governor in 2027.
Alli made the pledges on Tuesday during an interactive dialogue on the future of Oyo State organised by the Oyo Rising Citizens Forum (ORCF) at an event centre in Ibadan, where he outlined his proposed policies on education, healthcare, grassroots governance, economic development and workers’ welfare.
On local government administration, the APC governorship candidate promised to grant the 33 local government councils in the state full financial and administrative autonomy from May 29, 2027, if elected.
He declared that his administration would not interfere with funds belonging to local governments, stressing that the councils would be empowered to independently construct schools, establish healthcare facilities and recruit their own personnel.
“My administration will not spend one kobo belonging to local governments. They will build their schools, build their health centres and employ their own workers. That era of stifling the councils is over,” Alli said.
On education, the senator representing Oyo South Senatorial District pledged to reduce classroom populations to a maximum of 30 pupils per class, explaining that the proposed measure would improve teaching and learning outcomes while creating employment opportunities for teachers and fresh graduates.
He also promised to allocate at least 18 per cent of the state’s annual budget to education, in line with the UNESCO recommendation, while committing to the continuous training and retraining of teachers and the recruitment of additional personnel to address manpower shortages in public schools.
Alli further outlined plans to overhaul the state’s healthcare system, promising to establish a functional general hospital in each of the 33 local government areas and at least one fully equipped primary healthcare centre in each of the 351 wards across the state.
As part of his commitment to healthcare development, he announced plans to personally facilitate the establishment and commissioning of at least three fully equipped healthcare centres in Oyo South Senatorial District before the 2027 governorship election, after which the facilities would be handed over to the state government.
Addressing concerns surrounding the controversial Ibadan Circular Road project, the APC candidate promised to take decisive action within 72 hours of assuming office.
He said he would constitute a committee within 48 to 72 hours of inauguration to address the grievances of residents affected by the project, assuring them that his administration would not seize people’s land or dispose of state-owned assets.
“I will set up a committee within 48 to 72 hours to address the grievances of all affected residents. We will not seize people’s land and we will not sell state assets,” he assured.
On economic development, Alli promised to harness the state’s agricultural and mining potentials to stimulate economic growth, generate employment and improve the livelihoods of residents.
He proposed the establishment of at least one cottage industry in every local government area to promote local production, processing and economic activities.
He also pledged to establish parabolic dryers in all seven towns in Ibarapa and two in each senatorial district before December, as part of efforts to improve agricultural processing and reduce post-harvest losses.
The APC candidate equally promised to revive the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS), while outlining plans to engage young people through vocational training and political opportunities.
He further pledged to empower women through strategic appointments and ensure the prompt payment of workers’ salaries, pensions and gratuities.
During the interactive session, participants raised questions on several issues affecting the state, including electricity supply, the alleged sale of government properties, the welfare of medical doctors and the provision of revolving loans for traders.
Alli responded to the questions with policy proposals, outlining his plans to address the concerns raised by participants as part of his proposed administration’s governance agenda.
The dialogue provided an opportunity for the APC governorship candidate to present his proposed programmes and respond to questions on issues relating to the development and administration of Oyo State ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
