…Depeens grassroot development
The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate for the 2027 election in Oyo State, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, has declared that he will ensure full implementation of the local government autonomy as governor of the state.
According to him local government councils must be allowed to function efficiently to depend development and improve service delivery at the grassroot.
Senator Alli who represents Oyo South Senatorial District at the National Assembly gave the hints during a programme organized by Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) Oyo state chapter tagged “A Day with BSA,” where he also outlined the policy priorities that would define the first 100 days of his administration if elected governor.
Senator Alli who took a cursory look at the poor state of local government administration in the state , declared that local governments must function effectively because development starts from the grassroots.
” Once local governments work efficiently, governance becomes more impactful,” he said.
On the present grievances among APC governorship aspirants , Senator Alli while expressing optimism that the party will united before the general election, said the ongoing efforts to reconcile aggrieved members of the party are yielding positive results.
He expressed confidence that the APC will head into the next general election as a united political force.
The APC flag bearer said restoring unity within the party became one of his immediate priorities following his emergence as the governorship candidate, noting that consultations with stakeholders across the state were ongoing.
According to him, he has met with former aspirants, members of the G-6 bloc, and other influential party leaders as part of efforts to foster reconciliation. He added that President Bola Tinubu had also intervened 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,” Alli said.
He described his emergence as the party’s governorship candidate as the beginning of a renewed drive to reposition the APC ahead of the 2027 governorship election, urging members to close ranks in the interest of victory.
On education, Alli promised to restore quality public education by reducing class sizes to a maximum of 30 pupils in public primary and secondary schools. He also pledged to rehabilitate school infrastructure and ensure free, functional, and quality education from primary through secondary school.
“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 also pledged to reposition technical and vocational education by establishing and strengthening technical colleges across the state 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 further said his administration would end the reliance on consultancy services in public schools, insisting that teachers and educational institutions should be adequately equipped and empowered to effectively discharge their responsibilities.
On security, the APC governorship candidate advocated strengthening neighbourhood watch structures and proposed the biometric registration of all residents of Oyo State.
He said every resident should be captured in a comprehensive database, including fingerprint records, to enhance intelligence gathering and support security agencies in tackling crime.
“We need a comprehensive database of everyone living in Oyo State. Every resident should be registered with biometric details, including fingerprints. This will significantly improve intelligence gathering and strengthen our security architecture,” he said.
Alli maintained that education, security, youth empowerment, and effective local government administration would constitute 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.
