The campaign organisation of Senator Sharafadeen Alli, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Oyo State, has questioned Governor Seyi Makinde’s handling of public infrastructure, particularly the Light Up Oyo streetlighting project and the renovation of Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan.
The organisation accused the governor of poor planning and waste of public funds, arguing that the projects had failed to deliver the value expected from major government investments.
Its Director of Media and Publicity, Bisi Oladele, made the allegations in a statement on Saturday while responding to comments attributed to Makinde on Friday in which the governor described Alli as a lawyer who had never appeared in court.
Oladele questioned why Makinde, who is an electrical engineer, would oversee a streetlighting system that relies heavily on fuel-powered generators rather than a more sustainable energy solution.
“ It is a tragic irony that Governor Makinde, who studied electrical engineering, cannot devise a sustainable electricity solution for the streetlights installed with about N400 billion of state funds by his government,” the statement said.
The campaign organisation also alleged that more than N250 billion had been spent on powering the streetlights with diesel generators.
Available records show that Makinde’s administration used diesel generators for the Light Up Oyo project, particularly during the period when the government was awaiting alternative power infrastructure.
In 2023, Makinde said the arrangement was temporary and that the state was working towards using an 11MW independent power project, with gas generation and inverters as part of the planned system.
The campaign organisation, however, argued that the government should have considered solar-powered and other energy-efficient options, particularly because similar solar infrastructure had been installed under the previous administration.
It alleged that some of the earlier solar infrastructure and electricity poles were dismantled instead of being repaired or upgraded.
“If not for the prime purpose of enriching self, cronies and deliberately wasting Oyo State funds, why will Governor Makinde destroy the solar infrastructures and electric poles installed by his predecessor instead of repairing and upgrading them to higher solar grade?” the statement said.
The organisation further alleged that the streetlighting system had become dysfunctional in some areas, with load-shedding affecting its operation.
Makinde’s administration has previously described Light Up Oyo as a major security and economic intervention.
Its own published account says the project was designed around a combination of national-grid electricity, uninterrupted power supply and gas, while government officials have also highlighted renewable-energy projects elsewhere in the state.
The campaign organisation also turned its attention to Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, arguing that the facility’s inability to host Shooting Stars Sports Club’s 2026/27 CAF Confederation Cup home matches raised questions about the outcome of the renovation.
It recalled that the stadium renovation was presented as a major project by the Makinde administration, with reports in 2021 putting the cost at about N5.5 billion.
Shooting Stars eventually played its CAF Confederation Cup home fixture against Tunisia’s CS Sfaxien at the MKO Abiola Sports Complex in Abeokuta on September 5, 2026.
Reports said Lekan Salami Stadium was not among the three Nigerian venues approved by CAF for the continental competition.
However, Shooting Stars chairman Lekan Salami explained that CAF’s approval was limited to three Nigerian stadiums and that several Nigerian clubs participating in continental competitions were affected by the limited number of approved venues.
The campaign organisation nevertheless asked questions about the quality and scope of the stadium renovation.
“What, then, did Governor Makinde renovate? Who certified the work, and why should Shooting Stars be forced to seek an alternative venue in Abeokuta, Ogun State after Oyo taxpayers had financed the reconstruction of their traditional home ground?” it asked.
The organisation said the developments reflected a pattern of high expenditure without commensurate results.
“From streetlights powered with generators to a refurbished stadium unsuitable for continental football, the evidence points to a government that spends heavily but delivers poorly,” it said.
It called for greater emphasis on durable infrastructure, value for money and long-term planning in the execution of public projects.
“Oyo State must move away from expensive improvisation and cosmetic governance that have become the order of the day under Makinde,” the organisation said.
The campaign body also accused Makinde of repeatedly referring to Alli in public addresses, describing it as evidence that the APC candidate remained prominent in the governor’s political calculations.
