Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has attributed the use of diesel-powered generators for streetlights in the state to the country's inadequate electricity supply. He made this statement at the Boye Nation/JAF Movement Mega Concert held at the Open Tennis Court of the Lekan Salami Sports Complex in Ibadan. The event was organised under the Young, United and Unstoppable (YUU) platform and was attended by youths, political supporters, and members of the Boye Nation movement.
Makinde was responding to criticism over the use of diesel-powered generators for the state's streetlighting project. He stated that the issue of streetlights should not be directed at the state government, but rather at the Federal Government, which had promised Nigerians constant electricity supply. According to him, the state could not leave its streets in darkness simply because electricity from the national grid was inadequate.
The governor also challenged the APC governorship candidate in Oyo State, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, to focus on the 2027 governorship contest and engage the APM candidate, Bimbo Adekanmbi, rather than criticising his administration. Makinde said that the APC candidate should face Adekanmbi and tell the people what he intends to do for them. Adekanmbi was adopted as the APM's consensus governorship candidate for Oyo State in May 2026.
At the event, Makinde welcomed thousands of APC members who defected to the APM, saying their movement into the party demonstrated growing support ahead of the 2027 elections. He said that their defection showed that the APM's victory was only a matter of time and that they would win massively in all elections in 2027. The defectors were led by Ajiboye Akande Sangogade, also known as Boye Nation, and were drawn from different local government areas of the state.
Makinde also advised Alli to concentrate on persuading Oyo residents to support his candidacy rather than attacking the state government. He said that Alli should focus on convincing the people of Oyo State to support him despite the hardship brought upon them by his party. The governor also defended his professional credentials and those of Adekanmbi, stating that he was an engineer and a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers.
The governor described Adekanmbi as a qualified accountant and said that the APM candidate was a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants. He also criticised Alli, saying that he was not a Senior Advocate of Nigeria. The political gathering featured musical performances by Fuji artistes, including Taye Currency, Tiri Leather, and Babatunmise.
Makinde's description of himself as the APM presidential candidate is consistent with recent reports identifying him as the party's 2027 presidential candidate, while Adekanmbi is the party's Oyo governorship candidate. The event was a significant show of support for the APM ahead of the 2027 elections.
Key points
- Oyo Governor Seyi Makinde blames inadequate electricity supply for using diesel-powered generators to operate streetlights across the state.
- Makinde welcomes thousands of APC members who defected to the APM, saying their movement into the party demonstrated growing support ahead of the 2027 elections.
- The governor defends his professional credentials and those of the APM governorship candidate, Bimbo Adekanmbi.
