The Senator Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation (SSACO) has rebuffed criticism of Senator Sharafadeen Alli’s manifesto by the governorship candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Bimbo Adekanmbi, describing it as an attempt to defend Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration.
Shortly after he presented his Oyo AHEAD manifesto in Ibadan on Tuesday, Dr. Sulaimon Olanrewaju, Adekanmbi’s campaign spokesperson, had sharply criticised Alli, accusing him of lacking originality in his proposed plans if elected the state governor.
SSACO, in a statement issued on Wednesday by its Director of Media and Publicity, Bisi Oladele, however, said Adekanmbi’s reaction was driven by frustration over what it described as a superior development blueprint presented by Alli ahead of the 2027 Oyo State governorship election.
According to the campaign organisation, Alli’s Oyo AHEAD agenda is designed to address failures in grassroots development, healthcare, education, agriculture, youth development and economic growth under the current administration.
SSACO alleged that Makinde’s government had failed to provide a credible scorecard in several critical sectors despite substantial budgetary allocations.
“It is understandable that a government that paralyses local government system, wobbles in healthcare delivery, education, agriculture and youth development will naturally be pained that Senator Sharafadeen Alli is launching a plan to salvage the state where it has failed woefully,” the statement said.
The campaign organisation further claimed that Oyo State had the highest number of out-of-school children in the Southwest and alleged that several hospitals lacked doctors.
It also criticised the government’s agricultural policies, noting that no farm settlement or estate established under the administration had remained operational despite what it described as multibillion-naira appropriations to the health, education and agriculture sectors.
SSACO said Adekanmbi’s criticism was particularly understandable because he was campaigning to sustain the current administration’s “woeful trajectory”.
The organisation also rejected the argument that some of the policies contained in Alli’s manifesto were not original because previous administrations had proposed similar initiatives.
“Is it not intellectually disingenuous to describe policies as not original simply because previous governments had announced similar initiatives?” the group asked, arguing that healthcare, education, employment, workers’ welfare and economic development remained legitimate priorities for any government.
SSACO said the strength of Alli’s manifesto lay not only in the policies it proposed but also in the candidate’s experience and familiarity with the people of Oyo State.
It described Alli’s programme as “home-grown”, stressing that the senator had lived and worked among the people and had built what it called a reputation for credibility and acceptability.
The campaign organisation noted that Alli had served as chairman of Ibadan North Local Government, Secretary to the Oyo State Government and Chief of Staff to former Governor Rashidi Ladoja.
It also pointed to his current representation of Oyo South Senatorial District, saying his legislative record and community engagement had strengthened his relationship with constituents across the district.
According to SSACO, these experiences position Alli to translate the promises contained in his manifesto into practical programmes if elected governor.
“For emphasis, Senator Alli’s manifesto is a surgery for the illness inflicted on the people of Oyo State. It highlights the challenges, offers practical solutions and sets measurable targets,” the statement said.
The campaign organisation also challenged Adekanmbi to explain why shortcomings in existing primary healthcare centres should prevent a future administration from establishing better-equipped, adequately staffed and properly funded facilities across Oyo State.
It similarly questioned the state’s educational performance, asking why Oyo State ranked 27th in West African Examinations Council (WAEC) performance if the administration had already implemented similar policies.
SSACO also raised questions over the condition of public healthcare facilities and the capacity of local governments to respond effectively to the needs of residents in their respective communities.
The organisation maintained that Oyo AHEAD had proposed solutions to these challenges and accused Adekanmbi and his principal of being uncomfortable with the manifesto because of its potential appeal to voters.
“Alli’s experience in public administration, legislative service and community leadership positions him to offer purposeful leadership, institutional effectiveness and people-oriented development across Oyo State,” SSACO said.
The campaign organisation urged Oyo State voters to support Alli, describing him as a politician who was well known to the people and could be trusted to deliver on his campaign promises.
