Adekanmbi vs Alli Between Substance and Political Contestation

The 2027 governorship contest in Oyo State is increasingly being shaped by competing narratives over governance, local government administration, workers’ welfare, education, healthcare and economic development.

The latest exchange between the campaign organisations of the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, and the Allied Peoples Movement candidate, Bimbo Adekanmbi, illustrates the emerging contrast in their approaches to the campaign.

The APC campaign organisation has repeatedly criticised the administration of Governor Seyi Makinde, particularly over its handling of local government administration. In one recent statement, the campaign alleged that Makinde had paralysed the state’s 33 local government areas. The state government rejected the allegation and challenged the APC camp to provide evidence.

Beyond the disagreement over local government administration, the 2027 contest is also producing competing policy proposals from the two major opposition candidates.

Alli has, in recent months, outlined proposals covering local government autonomy, education, healthcare, workers’ welfare and economic development. He has pledged full financial and administrative autonomy for the 33 local government areas, a 13th-month salary for civil servants and measures to reduce classroom congestion to a maximum of 30 pupils per class.

His campaign platform also contains proposals on transparency, grassroots development, agriculture, security, digital governance and economic empowerment. His campaign website lists a 10-pillar agenda for Oyo State, with local government autonomy and ward-level development tracking among its stated priorities.

Adekanmbi, on the other hand, has presented himself as a candidate focused on continuity and improvements to existing policies while introducing new measures in areas such as education, digital innovation, infrastructure, healthcare, agriculture and youth development.

The APM candidate has spoken about strengthening teacher training, improving educational infrastructure and expanding digital learning. He has also proposed measures to improve workers’ welfare and support the professional development of teachers.

In another engagement, Adekanmbi said he would leverage Oyo State’s human capital, youthful population, agricultural potential and technology ecosystem to develop a more digitally driven economy.

These positions suggest that the contest is not limited to criticism of the incumbent administration. Both candidates are developing policy narratives aimed at addressing the state’s governance and development challenges, although they differ in emphasis and political approach.

The debate over local government administration is particularly significant. Alli has made local government autonomy a central component of his campaign, promising that councils would have greater control over their finances and responsibilities if he becomes governor. He recently said his administration would allow local governments to manage areas such as schools, healthcare facilities and employment.

Adekanmbi has also spoken about local government administration as part of his broader governance agenda, while placing considerable emphasis on continuity, accountability, digital innovation and service delivery.

For voters, the more important question in the unfolding contest is therefore not simply which campaign can generate the louder political exchanges, but what each candidate is proposing, how the proposals would be funded and implemented, and what measurable outcomes citizens should expect.

Political campaigns inevitably involve criticism of opponents, but substantive public debate requires claims about government performance to be supported by verifiable facts and policy alternatives to be clearly explained.

The same standard applies to campaign promises. Proposals on local government autonomy, education, healthcare, workers’ welfare and economic development require detailed explanations of implementation, financing, timelines and measurable targets.

The Oyo 2027 contest is still developing, and the candidates are expected to present more detailed programmes as the election approaches. The quality of the campaign will ultimately depend not only on the volume of political exchanges but also on the extent to which the competing candidates subject their ideas and records to public scrutiny.

For Adekanmbi and Alli, the emerging contest provides an opportunity to explain their respective visions for Oyo State, defend their records and proposals, and respond directly to questions about how their promised policies would affect residents across the state.

Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju is Co-Director, Media and Publicity, Bimbo Adekanmbi Governorship Campaign Council.