The Oyo State Government has tackled Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mutalubi Ojo Adebayo, over his criticisms of Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration, accusing him of distorting facts and making unsubstantiated allegations to advance his preferred candidate’s political interests.
The government said Adebayo was free to support any candidate of his choice but had no justification for allegedly twisting facts or manufacturing falsehoods to discredit the governor and his administration.
In a statement issued on Sunday, October 18, the Special Adviser on Media to the Governor, Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju, said Adebayo’s commentaries had become a series of personal attacks and distortions aimed at undermining the administration’s achievements and promoting his preferred governorship candidate.
Olanrewaju, who signed the statement, declared that “lies have short legs,” insisting that the administration’s achievements in infrastructure, education, healthcare and security would withstand scrutiny.
He described Adebayo’s criticisms as exaggerated and politically motivated, arguing that his approach had reduced serious governance issues to personal attacks and unsubstantiated allegations.
The government particularly faulted Adebayo’s comments on the Ogbere-Amuloko-Akanran-Ilaji-Ogun State border road, describing his characterisation of the project as misleading.
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.
The government maintained that the project was not abandoned to spite any individual or undermine a private business, adding that road construction priorities were determined by public interest, economic value and technical feasibility.
It also dismissed allegations that Makinde diverted local government funds or rendered the councils ineffective, arguing that joint funding of strategic road projects by the state and local governments was lawful and necessary for delivering infrastructure beyond the financial capacity of individual councils.
Olanrewaju said local governments in the state continued to pay salaries and execute projects, while democratic local government elections had strengthened grassroots governance.
On road construction, the government explained that rehabilitation, reconstruction and new projects were selected based on engineering assessments and budgetary realities, insisting that contracts were subject to due process, procurement laws, competitive bidding and oversight.
The statement also defended the administration’s record in education, citing improvements in West African Examinations Council (WAEC) performance, increased enrolment, infrastructure investment and teacher welfare.
It said the School Governing Board model had been incorporated into a broader reform framework, adding that the Education Trust Fund continued to operate under due process. The government further claimed that Makinde had employed more teachers than any previous administration in the state and resolved longstanding challenges at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology.
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 the administration had renovated and upgraded several health facilities, improved medical equipment and strengthened the Oyo State Health Insurance Agency, while insisting that allegations of financial misconduct required evidence.
The government also defended its security measures, citing the strengthening of the Western Nigeria Security Network, Amotekun, improved logistical support for federal security agencies and the repositioning of the Security Trust Fund.
It said the procurement of surveillance aircraft followed security protocols and approvals by the State Executive Council, dismissing claims that some government advisers were unaware of the process as speculative.
On the Circular Road project, the administration 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.
The statement equally rejected allegations that Makinde appropriated ideas or removed solar lights under the Operation Light Up Oyo initiative, maintaining that energy choices were based on cost, maintenance requirements and technical feasibility.
It added that the rehabilitation of the Lekan Salami Stadium had brought the facility up to modern standards, enabling it to host several international matches.
The government, however, maintained that 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 said the administration’s record in road construction, education, healthcare, security and governance reforms would ultimately speak for itself, rather than politically motivated commentaries.
