The Oyo State Government has challenged the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its governorship candidate, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, to address the party’s internal crisis rather than allegedly attempting to blame Governor Seyi Makinde and the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) governorship candidate, Hon. Bimbo Adekanbi, for acts of political violence within its ranks.
The government, in a statement issued on Friday by the Governor’s Special Adviser on Media, Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju, described allegations by the Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation that Makinde and Adekanbi were sponsoring thugs in the state as a cheap political tactics, false, irresponsible and inconsistent with eyewitness accounts of the incidents.
It maintained that the violence being politicised by the opposition arose from disagreements among aggrieved APC members, accusing the party of attempting to shift responsibility for its internal problems to the state government.
The statement followed reports of attacks involving Alhaja Alli, Engr. Remi Oseni and Hon. Funke Olunloyo-Osinowo, which the government said were linked to disagreements within the APC rather than any government-sponsored action.
According to Olanrewaju, “Attempting to recast an intra-party conflict as government-sponsored violence is a deliberate distortion of the truth.”
He urged Alli and the APC leadership to look inward, resolve their differences and refrain from making allegations capable of heightening political tension in the state.
The government also argued that Oyo State had witnessed a sustained decline in political thuggery and violent disruptions since Makinde assumed office, attributing the development to the administration’s security measures.
These, it said, included strengthening and professionalising the Western Nigeria Security Network, popularly known as Amotekun, expanding joint security patrols across the state, investing in modern surveillance and response equipment, and maintaining coordination with federal security agencies.
The statement added that Makinde’s administration remained committed to protecting lives and property, insisting that allegations of sponsoring violence were inconsistent with its stated commitment to peace and stability.
“A popular government has no reason or incentive to disrupt any opposition campaign. His focus remains firmly on governance, not political confrontation,” the government said.
It further dismissed the allegations against Adekanbi, describing the APM candidate as a core gentleman with a longstanding reputation for professionalism and lawfulness.
According to the government, there was no basis for associating Adekanbi with political violence, arguing that his popularity among residents offered no incentive for him to engage in attacks against political opponents.
The statement warned that spreading unsubstantiated allegations about security incidents could mislead the public, undermine the work of security agencies and endanger residents by escalating political tensions.
“At a time when the government is working diligently to maintain calm across the state, it is disingenuous and dangerous for any political organisation to circulate unfounded claims about security matters,” it said.
Olanrewaju added that the Makinde administration would not be distracted by what it described as manufactured controversies, stressing that the governor remained focused on governance, development and the protection of residents across the state.
The government also criticised the APC’s political strategy, describing the party as a sinking political platform seeking to exploit narratives it considered advantageous ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
It insisted that no political manoeuvring would undermine what it described as the people’s support for Makinde and Adekanbi.
The statement urged Alli and the APC leadership to manage their internal disagreements responsibly and prevent avoidable violence, rather than attempting to hold the state government responsible for conflicts originating within their party.
“The Oyo State Government, therefore, counsels the APC to manage its internal crisis more responsibly and spare the people of Oyo State the unwarranted violence and thuggery arising from such avoidable acts,” Olanrewaju said.
The government reiterated its commitment to peace, stability and responsible political engagement, while rejecting the allegations against Makinde and Adekanbi in their entirety.