• Gov Makinde and Senator Alli
The war of words between Oyo State Governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, and the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, has escalated, with the governor’s camp accusing the senator of being pained by Makinde’s description of him as a jejune lawyer.
The latest exchange came on Saturday after the Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation attacked the Makinde administration over the use of diesel-powered generators for streetlights and the inability of Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) to host its 2026/27 CAF Confederation Cup home fixture at the renovated Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadan.
The campaign organisation had questioned Makinde’s engineering credentials over the streetlight project and alleged that the stadium renovation failed to meet the requirements for continental football.
But Makinde’s Special Adviser on Media, Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju, in a statement issued in Ibadan, dismissed the criticisms as politically motivated, describing them as “
desperation, distortion and a frantic struggle for relevance.
The statement suggested that Alli’s latest attacks were linked to Makinde’s recent remark about his professional record as a lawyer.
According to Olanrewaju, the governor’s description of Alli as a jejune lawyer was not an insult but a statement of fact, arguing that the senator’s continued criticism of Makinde showed that the remark had struck a nerve.
“Senator Sharafadeen Alli’s fixation on attacking Governor Makinde is rooted in one painful truth: he is still reeling from the governor’s factual statement that he is a jejune lawyer,” he said.
The latest development is part of an increasingly charged political contest ahead of the 2027 governorship election, with Makinde’s Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and Alli’s APC already trading accusations over the governor’s record and the senator’s credentials.
The Alli campaign organisation, through its Director of Media and Publicity, Bisi Oladele, had accused the Makinde administration of waste, poor planning and misplaced priorities over the streetlight project.
It alleged that more than N250 billion had been spent on diesel-powered generators to operate streetlights, questioning why an administration led by an engineer had not provided a more sustainable power source.
The campaign organisation also faulted the Lekan Salami Stadium renovation, alleging that the facility failed to secure approval from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to host 3SC’s continental fixture.
It questioned why the club had to move its home match against Tunisia’s CS Sfaxien to the MKO Abiola Sports Complex in Abeokuta, Ogun State, despite the reported multi-billion-naira renovation of its traditional home ground.
However, the governor’s camp rejected the criticism, insisting that the stadium had already demonstrated its capacity to host international football.
Olanrewaju cited the Falconets’ match against Senegal in February 2026 as evidence that the facility had hosted international football after its renovation.
He said the temporary inability of 3SC to host international matches at the stadium was connected with further upgrades being undertaken to meet evolving international standards.
“This is a clear testament to the stadium’s upgraded status,” he said,
He added that the temporary pause in 3SC’s international matches at the stadium is simply because the government is undertaking further upgrades to meet evolving international standards.
On the streetlights, the governor’s aide defended the use of generators, blaming unreliable electricity supply from the national grid.
He argued that the state government was compelled to provide an alternative source of power to keep major roads and public spaces illuminated.
“The only reason generators are being used is because the APC-led Federal Government, Senator Sharafadeen Alli’s party, has failed spectacularly to deliver the regular electricity supply it promised Nigerians,” Olanrewaju said.
He challenged Alli to direct his criticism at the Federal Government over the country’s electricity situation instead of attacking the state government for providing street lighting.
Olanrewaju also pointed to the state’s investment in alternative energy, saying the government had built a 5MW solar power plant which was being upgraded to 12MW.
He said the project demonstrated the administration’s intention to develop alternative and more sustainable energy sources rather than remain dependent on the national grid.
The political exchange also returned to the professional credentials of the two contenders.
While the Alli camp questioned Makinde’s engineering credentials on the basis of the streetlight project, Olanrewaju countered by listing the governor’s professional experience and his Fellowship of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE).
The aide said Makinde is a distinguished engineer with decades of hands-on experience and argued that his professional record should be considered alongside the criticisms being levelled against his administration.
The Alli campaign, however, had maintained that Makinde’s engineering background made the streetlight situation more embarrassing, arguing that the governor should have been able to provide a sustainable solution to powering the infrastructure.
The campaign also alleged that infrastructure installed by a previous administration for solar-powered street lighting had been removed rather than upgraded.
Olanrewaju did not accept the allegations, insisting that the Makinde administration was focused on delivering projects rather than engaging in political quarrels.
He said the administration would continue pursuing its development agenda despite attacks from political opponents.
“While some politicians specialise in shouting, this administration specialises in results,” he said.
The aide added that Oyo State would continue to move forward “with or without the approval of those who have chosen to build their politics on distortion and desperation.”