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By Oluseye Ojo
The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Oyo State for the 2027 election, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, has promised to grant local government autonomy from his first day in office if elected.
He also pledged to establish a ₦10 billion youth fund and to raise the state’s internally generated revenue (IGR) to ₦150 billion annually without imposing additional financial burdens on residents and businesses.
Alli unveiled the promises in his manifesto, christened ‘My Pact’, presented to stakeholders in Ibadan, the state capital, on Tuesday.
He also pledged to make Oyo one of the three largest state economies in Nigeria, provide functional clinics, schools and accessible roads across the state’s 351 wards, and embark on far-reaching reforms in infrastructure, healthcare, education, agriculture, electricity and security.
The document, built around seven pillars under the acronym OYO AHEAD, outlines his proposed development agenda, covering local government autonomy, advancement of infrastructure, health reform, education and employment, agriculture and export, digital economy and security.
Addressing representatives of community development associations, professional bodies, artisans, traders, politicians, labour leaders and other stakeholders, Alli said the manifesto was designed to transform the state’s economy and improve public service delivery across urban and rural communities.
He argued that Oyo, with its vast landmass, 33 local government areas, 351 wards and an estimated population of eight million, had the potential to become a leading economic force in the country.
He, however, lamented that the state generated less than ₦100 billion in IGR in the previous year, compared with nearly three times that amount reportedly generated by neighbouring Ogun State.
The APC candidate also cited national poverty statistics, saying about 3.8 million residents of Oyo were living in poverty, despite their hard work and contributions to the economy.
He said: “We will make Oyo one of the top three state economies in Nigeria. Our first target on the way is N150 billion a year of our own revenue, and the market woman will pay no more than she pays today.”
Alli added that his administration would pursue a development model in which reliable electricity would attract factories, factories would create jobs, and increased economic activities would generate revenue to finance public services.
“In every one of our 351 wards, there will be a clinic that works, a school that teaches, and a road that leads somewhere,” he said.
On infrastructure, the governorship hopeful promised to complete ongoing road projects and construct access roads to farms to facilitate the movement of farmers, agricultural produce and other residents.
He said every newly constructed road would carry a 20-year warranty, while his administration would fully constitute the state electricity regulator to facilitate electricity generation and distribution to industrial and agricultural corridors.
He also promised to audit faulty transformers and replace them every six months to prevent communities from experiencing prolonged power outages.
On water supply, Alli lamented the poor access to public pipe-borne water, claiming that barely one in 75 residents currently enjoyed the service, while nine out of 10 families depended on boreholes, wells and sachet water.
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He promised to restore potable water supply in 100 communities and connect at least 100 rural communities to electricity for the first time.
The APC candidate also pledged to increase the number of buses operated by the state and modernise Pacesetter Transport Company to improve public transportation.
On housing, he promised to collaborate with the Federal Government and local and international investors to provide affordable homes for teachers, nurses, young couples and other working families.
He also pledged to reduce the cost and time required to obtain building approvals and expand housing schemes targeting low- and middle-income earners.
In the health sector, Alli promised to construct general hospitals in the six local government areas yet to have such facilities and recruit more doctors and other healthcare professionals.
He expressed concern that 10 hospitals in the state reportedly had no medical doctor, promising to ensure that vacancies in health facilities, including primary healthcare centres, were filled promptly.
He also pledged free health insurance for infants, pregnant women and residents aged 70 and above.
The candidate said he would increase the number of residents enrolled in the state’s health insurance scheme from the current 271,000 to 500,000 within his first two years in office.
On education, Alli promised to reduce classroom congestion by maintaining a maximum of 30 pupils per class, recruit additional teachers and construct more school facilities.
He also pledged to establish skills acquisition centres in every geopolitical zone of the state and introduce an apprenticeship law to strengthen vocational training and employment opportunities.
For economic development and job creation, the APC candidate promised to establish industrial parks, revive the Oluyole Free Trade Zone and create a guarantee fund to enable small businesses to access loans.
He said the proposed ₦10 billion Oyo Youth Fund would support young people, while digital hubs would be established in each of the state’s five geopolitical zones to promote innovation, technology and entrepreneurship.
In agriculture, Alli promised to revive the state’s farm settlements, provide insurance coverage for 10,000 farmers and establish a produce board through the Oyo Export Council to facilitate market access and improve the export potential of agricultural commodities.
He said the initiatives were intended to strengthen agricultural productivity, support farmers and position Oyo as a major food-producing state capable of feeding the South-West and exporting to international markets.
On security, Alli promised to restructure the state’s security architecture to strengthen the protection of lives and property.
He also pledged improved welfare for civil servants, assuring that salaries and other entitlements would be paid as and when due.
According to him, workers would be provided with the necessary work tools and a better working environment to enhance productivity and efficiency in public service.
