2027: I’m Not an Underdog, I’ll Defeat Other Candidates – Adegoke

…ADC governorship candidate expresses confidence in his campaign strategy and promises to take his message to voters across Oyo State

The African Democratic Congress, ADC, governorship candidate in Oyo State, Adegboyega Taofeek Adegoke, has promised to implement policies that would stimulate the state’s economy, create jobs and strengthen local government administration if elected governor in 2027.

Adegoke made the pledge in Ibadan during a press conference where he unveiled his campaign committee for the 2027 Oyo State governorship election.

The ADC candidate also criticised the administration of Governor Seyi Makinde over what he described as the alleged appropriation of public assets and school lands for other purposes.

According to him, government land should be acquired only for genuine public purposes and not for private interests.

He said, “How can you be appropriating people’s land, property and assets? If you want to use it for economic development, no problem. That’s why the Land Use Act allows government to acquire land for public use, not for private.”

Adegoke also alleged that some public spaces previously reserved for recreational activities had been reduced, citing areas around Mokola in Ibadan as an example.

On unemployment and youth restiveness, the ADC candidate proposed the establishment of a drainage-cleaning employment scheme through local governments.

He said the initiative would engage young people in clearing drainage channels, thereby creating jobs while reducing flooding.

Adegoke explained, “Somebody that is working on packing drains, how will you be available for thuggery services? So, we mop them up.”

He said the programme would also provide trucks and other necessary equipment to evacuate waste from drainage channels.

According to him, the initiative would address multiple challenges simultaneously by creating employment, reducing flooding and discouraging youth involvement in street violence.

On economic development, Adegoke identified inadequate electricity supply as one of the major obstacles to industrialisation in Oyo State.

He promised to work with private investors to facilitate the extension of gas infrastructure to Ibadan, arguing that access to cheaper energy would attract manufacturing companies to the state.

He said, “No country or state can develop without energy, electricity. I will ensure gas gets to Ibadan.”

Adegoke further promised to provide incentives, including access to land at affordable rates, to manufacturers willing to establish businesses in Oyo State.

He said such incentives would come with a condition that companies benefiting from government support must employ residents of the state.

“We are helping you to get gas to Ibadan. We will give you land at peppercorn price. But the condition is, you must employ our youth,” he said.

The candidate also pledged to block what he described as financial leakages in government, insisting that government contracts should be used to stimulate the local economy.

He said, “As long as you don’t encourage leakages… you encourage people by giving contracts. Let it circulate within.”

On local government administration, Adegoke promised to respect the autonomy of the 33 local government councils in Oyo State and allow them greater control over their resources, while maintaining oversight to ensure accountability.

He said, “My own is to empower them to be able to perform.”

According to him, local government chairmen should be allowed to determine projects based on the needs of their communities, while traditional institutions and other stakeholders would be involved in monitoring their performance.

Adegoke maintained that local government autonomy was essential to taking development to the grassroots.

He said, “Autonomy must work. That’s the only way to disseminate development to the grassroots. It’s the chairmen that will know all this because they are closer to the grassroots.”

The ADC candidate also dismissed suggestions that he was an underdog in the 2027 governorship contest, expressing confidence that he would defeat other candidates.

He said, “I’m not an underdog… I am very, very confident that I am going to defeat all the other candidates.”

Adegoke said his campaign would focus on reaching voters across the state and communicating his policies in a language they could easily understand.

He added that he was looking forward to a governorship debate where candidates would have the opportunity to present and defend their economic plans for Oyo State.

“During the debates, let’s tear our economy into two pieces and put it together again, and see how we can help to develop Oyo State,” he said.

The ADC candidate also addressed the controversy surrounding the party’s governorship candidacy, insisting that the National Leadership of the party had submitted his name to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, as its candidate.

He alleged that documents circulated by another aspirant, Gbemileke Alagbe, had been doctored, describing the alleged act as a cybercrime.

Adegoke further disclosed that the dispute over the party’s governorship primary was before the court, with the case adjourned to September 15.

He said, “The African Democratic Congress National Leadership… wrote to the INEC Chairman that these are our candidates. The 28 governorship… candidates… conveyed that list to the INEC Chairman.”

The ADC candidate said he remained open to reconciliation within the party, claiming that he had extended an offer to Alagbe to work together ahead of the 2027 election.

Adegoke said his administration, if elected, would focus on accountability, job creation, economic expansion and grassroots development.

He said the ultimate objective was to “turn around the economy of Oyo State” and build a government that works closely with the people.