The Allied Peoples Movement (APM) in Oyo State has accused the campaign organisation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, of resorting to political fearmongering over the position of its candidate, Bimbo Adekanmbi, on local government autonomy.
The Co-Director of Media and Publicity of the Oyo APM Presidential and Gubernatorial Campaign Council, Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju, made the allegation in a statement on Sunday, October 25, describing a publication warning that Adekanmbi’s election would spell doom for local governments as a deliberate attempt to misrepresent the APM candidate’s position.
The article, titled “Electing Adekanmbi as Oyo Governor Will Spell Total Doom for Oyo LGs,” followed Adekanmbi’s recent interview on Fresh FM, Ibadan, where he discussed local government autonomy.
Olanrewaju argued that the publication twisted Adekanmbi’s assertion that state governors could not grant local government autonomy into an allegation that the APM candidate opposed autonomy.
He said the position reflected the constitutional reality that local government autonomy was not a favour to be granted by governors but a matter governed by the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
According to him, the article relied on assumptions, exaggerated predictions and imagined scenarios to suggest that Adekanmbi’s emergence as governor would undermine grassroots governance.
The APM spokesman also faulted the attempt to portray the Supreme Court judgment on local government financial autonomy as a direct indictment of Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration, arguing that the implementation of judicial decisions involved legal and institutional processes.
He challenged the APC to identify a state under its control where local government autonomy had been fully implemented, recalling Adekanmbi’s question during the radio interview.
Olanrewaju further maintained that local governments in Oyo State continued to operate under elected leadership, with councils initiating projects and delivering public services.
He cited investments in rural roads, primary healthcare, education, agriculture and security as evidence of the Makinde administration’s commitment to grassroots development.
The statement added that Adekanmbi’s pledge to build on the achievements of the current administration should not be interpreted as an intention to perpetuate every practice criticised by political opponents.
“Continuity does not mean duplication. It means sustaining what works while improving what requires improvement,” Olanrewaju said.
He argued that the criticism of Adekanmbi’s position was driven by apprehension over his growing engagement with the electorate and his promise to sustain existing development programmes while improving areas requiring attention.
The APM campaign council urged residents to examine the arguments surrounding local government autonomy on their merits rather than accept what it described as alarmist predictions about the consequences of Adekanmbi’s possible emergence as governor.
