SSACO Accuses Adekanmbi of Political Desperation, Challenges Him to Substantiate Corruption Allegation Against Alli
The campaign organisation of Senator Sharafadeen Alli, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Oyo State, has accused Hon. Bimbo Adekanmbi of fabricating allegations against the senator in what it described as a desperate attempt to undermine his growing political influence ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
The organisation, known as the Senator Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation (SSACO), made the allegation in a statement issued on Saturday by its Director of Media and Publicity, Mr Bisi Oladele, dismissing claims made by Adekanmbi against the senator as false, misleading and politically motivated.
It accused Adekanmbi of attempting to tarnish Alli’s reputation by distorting historical facts and exploiting past challenges in local government administration for partisan advantage, rather than engaging in constructive discussions on policies and solutions to the developmental challenges facing Oyo State.
According to the statement, the allegations, reportedly made during a radio interview, reflected what the organisation described as the opposition’s desperation to discredit Alli as his political profile continues to rise ahead of the 2027 governorship contest.
The campaign organisation maintained that Alli, during his tenure as Chairman of Ibadan North Local Government, demonstrated a commitment to workers’ welfare through the prompt payment of salaries, adding that his performance earned him recognition from the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) in Oyo State.
It further explained that the financial difficulties experienced by local governments following the Federal Military Government’s January 1993 policy on staff promotions and salary increases were not peculiar to any individual administration but constituted a nationwide challenge arising from inadequate funding to implement the policy.
The organisation argued that the crisis continued beyond Alli’s tenure and was subsequently addressed through institutional reforms, including the establishment of the National Primary Education Commission in 1997 and the introduction of first-line charges for teachers’ salaries by 1999.
Reacting to Adekanmbi’s corruption allegation, SSACO challenged him to produce the report or documentary evidence on which his claims were based, warning that failure to substantiate the allegation could result in a defamation suit. It accused Adekanmbi and his political associates of using historical challenges to mislead the public and score political points.
The campaign organisation insisted that the allegations would not diminish Alli’s political standing, describing them as attempts to blackmail the senator and distract attention from what it said were more pressing issues concerning governance and development in the state.
It also criticised the administration of Governor Seyi Makinde, accusing it of weakening local government administration in Oyo State and depriving residents at the grassroots of the benefits of effective and responsive governance.
The organisation said Alli, if elected governor in 2027, would prioritise the revitalisation of the state’s 33 local government areas by strengthening their administrative structures and financial capacity to enable them to deliver essential services and respond more effectively to the needs of their respective communities.
It added that the proposed administration would focus on reconstructing feeder roads and access routes across the state to facilitate the movement of people and goods, improve connectivity between rural communities and urban centres, and stimulate economic activities.
SSACO expressed confidence that voters in Oyo State would make what it described as the right choice in the 2027 governorship election, predicting that the electorate would reject both Adekanmbi and the Makinde administration at the polls.
The organisation reiterated its commitment to a campaign centred on restoring effective grassroots governance, improving infrastructure and strengthening local government institutions, insisting that its political engagement would remain focused on policies and development priorities.
It consequently challenged Adekanmbi to engage in issue-based political discourse and present verifiable evidence to support his claims, rather than resorting to allegations it described as efforts to distort history for partisan political gain.