All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Oyo for the 2027 election, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, has dismissed speculations over his candidacy, insisting that his nomination has been duly recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Speaking during an interactive session with journalists in Ibadan on Monday, Alli said there was no truth in reports suggesting that the APC was yet to produce a governorship candidate for the state.
‘There is no iota of truth in the rumour making the rounds that the APC is yet to have a governorship candidate in Oyo.
‘My name has been uploaded on the portal of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). It can be verified,’ he said.
The APC standard-bearer also assured party members that efforts were underway to reconcile aggrieved stakeholders and restore unity ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
According to him, rebuilding cohesion within the party has become one of his immediate priorities following his emergence as the APC candidate.
He disclosed that consultations were ongoing with aspirants, members of the G-6 bloc and other party leaders across the state.
Alli added that President Bola Tinubu had intervened in the reconciliation process by engaging the party’s former governorship candidate, Senator Teslim Folarin, to facilitate peace among aggrieved members.
‘We have been making conscious efforts to unite the APC. I have met with aspirants and spoken with members of the G-6. President Bola Tinubu has also engaged Senator Teslim Folarin and tasked him with reconciling all aggrieved members. We are already resolving the crisis, and I believe the party will emerge stronger and more united,’ he said.
He urged party members to close ranks in the interest of victory, describing his emergence as the party’s flag bearer as the beginning of a renewed effort to reposition the APC ahead of the 2027 polls.
On education, Alli pledged to improve the quality of public education by reducing class sizes to a maximum of 30 pupils in public primary and secondary schools.
He also promised to rehabilitate school infrastructure and ensure free, functional and quality education from primary to secondary school level.
‘We will return to 30 pupils per classroom because quality education begins with a conducive learning environment. We will upgrade facilities in all public primary and secondary schools and ensure that every child enjoys free, functional and quality education from primary to secondary level,’ he said.
The senator further pledged to strengthen technical and vocational education through the establishment and revitalisation of technical colleges, while integrating practical skills training into tertiary institutions.
According to him, the initiative would equip young people with employable skills, promote entrepreneurship and reduce unemployment.
‘We must produce graduates with practical skills. Technical education will receive priority because it is critical to industrial growth and youth employment,’ he added.
Alli also said his administration would discontinue the reliance on consultancy services in public schools, stressing that teachers and educational institutions should be adequately equipped to perform their responsibilities effectively.
On grassroots development, he emphasised the need for functional local government administration, saying effective councils would enhance governance and improve service delivery.
‘Our local governments must function effectively because development starts from the grassroots. Once local governments work efficiently, governance becomes more impactful,’ he said.
Addressing security, Alli advocated strengthening neighbourhood watch structures and proposed the biometric registration of all residents in Oyo State to improve intelligence gathering and support security agencies.
‘We need a comprehensive database of everyone living in Oyo. Every resident should be registered with biometric details, including fingerprints. This will significantly improve intelligence gathering and strengthen our security architecture,’ he said.
He maintained that education, security, youth empowerment and effective local government administration would form the cornerstone of his administration’s first 100 days in office if elected, expressing confidence that the proposed reforms would reposition Oyo State for sustainable growth and development.