The Oyo State Government has cautioned former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Mutalubi Ojo Adebayo, SAN, against allegedly spreading falsehoods and making unsubstantiated allegations against Governor Seyi Makinde and his administration to promote his preferred governorship candidate ahead of the 2027 elections.
The government accused Adebayo of engaging in what it described as incendiary commentaries, distortions and personal attacks aimed at undermining the achievements of the Makinde administration and discrediting its preferred candidate.
This was contained in a statement on Sunday, October 18, 2026, by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju.
According to Olanrewaju, government maintained that political differences should not be used as justification for distorting facts or manufacturing allegations.
“Mr Adebayo is free to support any candidate he likes, even one who is clearly addled and patently incompetent, but he has no licence to twist facts or manufacture falsehoods to justify his political choices.
“We remind him of a simple truth: lies have short legs. They may stagger noisily for a moment, but they cannot outrun facts, nor can they withstand the reality of the administration’s visible achievements,” the statement read.
The government also criticised Adebayo’s approach to public discourse, describing his commentaries as exaggerated and politically motivated, while questioning the appropriateness of his language for a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
It urged the former attorney-general to engage in constructive criticism supported by verifiable evidence rather than resorting to personal attacks and what it called political theatrics.
On the Ogbere–Amuloko–Akanran–Ilaji–Ogun State border road, the government faulted Adebayo’s description of the project, particularly his claim that road users “have their thinking apparatuses at the soles of their feet.”
According to the statement, the road forms part of a World Bank-supported rural access corridor subject to procurement requirements, environmental assessments and phased implementation schedules.
It maintained that road projects were prioritised based on public interest, economic value and technical feasibility, rather than political considerations or attempts to undermine private businesses.
The government added that work on the corridor remained part of its rural access and agricultural mobility programme, alongside other completed and ongoing road projects across the state.
It also rejected allegations that Governor Makinde diverted local government funds or rendered the local government system ineffective, arguing that joint funding of strategic road projects by state and local governments was lawful and necessary where individual councils lacked sufficient resources.
The statement further said local governments in the state continued to pay salaries and execute projects, adding that the conduct of democratic local government elections had strengthened grassroots governance.
On infrastructure delivery, the government explained that its road construction policy involved rehabilitation, reconstruction and new construction, depending on engineering assessments and available resources.
It insisted that project costs were subject to due process, procurement laws, competitive bidding and oversight, dismissing allegations of disregard for costs and construction standards as baseless.
Addressing criticisms of the education sector, the government said the administration had recorded improvements in West African Examinations Council performance, school enrolment, infrastructure and teachers’ welfare.
It explained that the School Governing Board model had been integrated into a broader reform framework rather than abandoned, adding that the resignation of an individual did not automatically indicate wrongdoing.
The statement also maintained that the Oyo State Education Trust Fund continued to operate under due process and claimed that the Makinde administration had employed more teachers than any previous administration in the state.
It further cited the resolution of longstanding challenges at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, as one of the administration’s achievements.
On healthcare, the government rejected Adebayo’s description of state hospitals as “pigsty,” describing the remark as inaccurate and disrespectful to health workers.
It said several health facilities had been renovated and upgraded, medical equipment improved, and the Oyo State Health Insurance Agency strengthened.
The government added that allegations of financial mismanagement in the health sector required evidence, insisting that primary healthcare projects were executed in accordance with procurement regulations.
On security, the statement said the administration had strengthened the Western Nigeria Security Network, codenamed Amotekun, improved logistical support for federal security agencies and repositioned the Oyo State Security Trust Fund.
It also defended the procurement of surveillance aircraft for security operations, stating that the process followed established security protocols and received the necessary state Executive Council approvals.
The government described claims that security advisers were unaware of the procurement as speculative.
Regarding the Ibadan Circular Road project, the statement said the contract had been reviewed because of contractual and technical concerns, arguing that government had a responsibility to renegotiate or terminate agreements that failed to serve the public interest.
It questioned why the project had stalled under the previous administration if the approach adopted at the time had been effective, adding that no responsible government should continue to accommodate a concessionaire that failed to meet agreed obligations.
The government also dismissed allegations that Makinde appropriated ideas or removed solar streetlights under the Operation Light Up Oyo initiative.
It said decisions on solar or diesel-powered streetlights were based on cost, maintenance requirements and technical considerations, adding that the administration’s objective remained the improvement of public safety and mobility.
On the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, the government said its rehabilitation had brought the facility up to modern standards, enabling it to host several international matches. It added that regulatory assessments of the stadium were routine.
Reaffirming the governor’s position on public accountability, the statement said Makinde welcomed constructive, fact-based scrutiny but would not accept what it described as attempts to rewrite history through exaggerations, personal vendettas and unsubstantiated allegations.
It maintained that the administration’s achievements in road construction, education, healthcare, security and governance reforms would ultimately provide the basis for assessing its performance.
“The people of Oyo State are discerning; they see the roads built and still being built, the schools revitalised, the hospitals upgraded, the security architecture strengthened, and the governance reforms improving daily life.
“In the fullness of time, more tangible results, not incendiary essays or politically motivated outbursts, will speak for the administration,” the statement added.