Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has challenged the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Sharafadeen Alli, to account for the party’s eight years in power in the state before criticising his administration’s handling of workers’ welfare, healthcare and education.
Makinde, through his Special Adviser on Media, Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju, described a statement by the Senator Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation on the ongoing industrial disputes involving workers in the state as a partisan attempt to exploit legitimate concerns for political advantage.
The governor accused Alli and the APC of displaying what he called selective amnesia, distortion of facts and political opportunism, insisting that the party lacked the moral authority to lecture his administration on good governance after allegedly failing to address several challenges during its eight uninterrupted years in power.
The governor’s reaction was contained in a statement released on Friday by Olanrewaju, who said the Makinde administration remained committed to resolving outstanding issues with the affected unions through constructive engagement, noting that committees had been constituted and discussions were ongoing through established channels.
He specifically addressed the industrial dispute involving members of the Association of Medical and Dental Officers (AMDO), explaining that the state government had consistently provided the financial resources required to implement the allowances and welfare provisions contained in the relevant circulars since December 27, 2023.
According to him, the provisions include skipping allowance, Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS), responsibility allowance, rural posting allowance and in-service training with pay.
He maintained that the provisions were not mere policy declarations or campaign promises but financial commitments that the government had funded and sustained.
Olanrewaju also cited the state’s investment in the professional development of healthcare personnel, disclosing that Oyo State recently recorded the best combined Part I and Part II results in the Faculty of Family Medicine at the September 2026 National Postgraduate Medical College examinations.
He said the achievement demonstrated the administration’s commitment to strengthening the healthcare system through investment in the capacity and professional development of medical personnel.
The governor’s aide, however, questioned Alli’s decision to portray himself and the APC as champions of workers’ welfare and educational development, arguing that the party’s record in government contradicted its current position.
He recalled that the APC administration in the state was characterised by recurring labour disputes, concerns over workers’ entitlements and working conditions, as well as unresolved institutional challenges across critical sectors.
Olanrewaju also challenged Alli’s comments on the industrial situation at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), accusing the APC of failing to resolve the institution’s ownership crisis during its eight-year tenure.
He said the university became associated with prolonged disruptions, uncertainty and an unresolved ownership dispute under the previous administration, leaving students and parents apprehensive about the institution’s future and the completion of academic programmes.
According to him, Makinde inherited the crisis but took decisive steps to resolve the ownership dispute, restore stability and reposition LAUTECH as one of the leading state-owned universities in the country.
“Those who failed to solve the problems of yesterday cannot credibly claim to be the custodians of the solutions today,” he said.
On allegations that the governor was absent from governance while industrial disputes persisted, Olanrewaju maintained that government business continued through established institutions, ministries and engagement mechanisms, stressing that governance should not be measured by media appearances or political grandstanding.
He further defended Makinde’s record on workers’ welfare, stating that salaries had been paid consistently since 2019, while pension obligations had received increased attention and promotions had been implemented.
He added that workers had continued to benefit from policies designed to improve their welfare and productivity.
The governor’s aide consequently questioned Alli’s promise of prompt payment of salaries and allowances if elected governor, arguing that workers should assess political parties and candidates based on their records rather than campaign assurances.
“Oyo workers do not need promises; they can judge administrations by their records. They know the difference between an administration that inherited complex challenges and confronted them and those that left many of those challenges unresolved,” he said.
Olanrewaju also dismissed suggestions that Makinde’s official engagements outside the state amounted to neglect of his responsibilities, arguing that the effectiveness of an administration should be measured by the performance of its institutions and the results it delivers.
He reiterated that the governor remained focused on governance and committed to resolving the ongoing industrial issues in a manner that would protect the interests of workers, students and other stakeholders.
The statement maintained that the Makinde administration had rescued LAUTECH, strengthened public institutions and prioritised workers’ welfare, insisting that opposition criticism would not alter what it described as the government’s record of achievements.