The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, has promised to grant full autonomy to the state’s 33 Local Government Areas, introduce a 13th-month salary for civil servants and establish a general hospital in every local government if elected governor in 2027.
Alli made the promises on Tuesday, September 29, during a policy dialogue organised by the Oyo Rising Citizens Forum (ORCF) at an event centre in Ibadan, where he outlined plans to overhaul education, healthcare, agriculture and public service administration.
He declared that local governments would become fully independent from May 29, 2027, pledging that his administration would not interfere with funds belonging to the councils.
“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,” he said, drawing applause from participants.
Education: Alli promises 30 pupils per classroom
On education, Alli pledged to reduce classroom population to a maximum of 30 pupils, saying the policy would improve learning outcomes and create employment opportunities for teachers and fresh graduates.
He also promised to allocate at least 18 per cent of the state budget to education, in line with the UNESCO recommendation.
According to him, his administration would recruit additional teachers and introduce regular training and retraining programmes to address staffing shortages and improve the quality of teaching across public schools.
Healthcare: 33 general hospitals, 351 primary health centres
The APC governorship candidate promised to establish a functional general hospital in each of Oyo State’s 33 local government areas and provide at least one fully equipped primary healthcare centre in each of the state’s 351 wards.
As part of his healthcare commitments, he announced plans to facilitate the construction and commissioning of at least three fully equipped health centres in Oyo South Senatorial District before the governorship election.
He said the facilities would subsequently be handed over to the state government.
Circular road: Committee within 72 hours
Addressing concerns surrounding the controversial Ibadan circular road project, the APC candidate promised to set up a committee within 48 to 72 hours of assuming office to address grievances raised by residents affected by the project.
“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,” Alli said.
He also pledged to protect public assets and address complaints relating to land acquisition and property ownership.
Agriculture, industries and economic development
On economic development, Alli identified agriculture and mining as key sectors his administration would leverage to create jobs and stimulate economic growth.
He promised to establish at least one cottage industry in every local government area, alongside plans to deploy parabolic dryers in all seven towns in Ibarapa and two in each senatorial district before December.
The proposed dryers, he said, would support agricultural processing and reduce post-harvest losses.
Alli further pledged to revive the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS), create vocational and political opportunities for young people, and give women greater representation through key appointments.
He also promised prompt payment of salaries, pensions and gratuities, alongside improved welfare for workers and retirees.
Doctors, traders and energy supply
Participants at the ORCF dialogue questioned Alli on electricity supply, the alleged sale of state-owned properties, healthcare workers’ welfare and access to revolving loans for traders.
The candidate responded with policy proposals covering the issues, although specific implementation timelines and funding details for several of the proposals were not provided in the statement.
The dialogue provided an opportunity for participants to engage the APC candidate on his proposed approach to governance and development in Oyo State ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
