Now That Adekanmbi Has Spoken, They Have The Jitters By Sulaimon Olanrewaju

The camp of Senator Sharafadeen Alli is clearly rattled following the recent interview granted by the Allied People’s Movement (APM) gubernatorial candidate in Oyo State, Honourable Bimbo Adekanmbi, on Fresh FM, Ibadan.

First came the puerile statement from Senator Alli’s campaign organisation, threatening legal action. We dare them to follow through. Their candidate may ultimately be forced to withdraw from the race.

Then came an article titled “Electing Adekanmbi as Oyo Governor Will Spell Total Doom for Oyo LGs,” a classic example of political fearmongering disguised as analysis. The piece is built entirely on assumptions, exaggerated predictions, and imagined scenarios rather than verifiable facts. The author plays a looming catastrophe without offering credible evidence that such a catastrophe either exists or is likely to occur.

At the heart of the article is a deliberate misrepresentation of Bimbo Adekanmbi’s position. The writer seizes on his statement that no state government can grant local government autonomy and twists it into evidence that he opposes local government autonomy altogether. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The constitutional reality is straightforward. Local government autonomy is not a favour dispensed by governors; it is a constitutional matter governed by the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. No governor can wake up and “grant” autonomy any more than he can unilaterally amend the Constitution. Recognising this reality is not opposition to autonomy; it is simply an acknowledgement of the legal framework within which governments operate.

Yet the author constructs an entire doomsday narrative around this distortion. Having misrepresented Adekanmbi’s position, he proceeds to paint an alarming picture of the future, warning of the alleged collapse of grassroots governance should Adekanmbi become governor. Such claims hardly qualify as serious political analysis.

Indeed, beyond its alarmist tone, the article reveals something else: nervousness. Since Bimbo Adekanmbi began engaging directly with the people of Oyo State and articulating his vision for the future, his opponents have appeared increasingly unsettled. After all, no one expends this much energy attacking a candidate who poses no political threat. The attempt to portray every statement he makes as a danger to the state suggests a camp struggling to contain the growing appeal of a candidate whose message of continuity, stability, and progress is resonating with the electorate.

Behind these exaggerated warnings lies an unmistakable fear that the people of Oyo State may ultimately choose to build on existing achievements rather than abandon them. The intensity of the attacks says far more about the anxieties of Adekanmbi’s opponents than it does about the candidate himself.

The irony is that while the writer wants readers to believe that grassroots governance has collapsed in Oyo State, residents can see what is happening in their communities. Across the state, local governments continue to function under elected leadership. Public services are being delivered. Development projects are being executed. Healthcare facilities are being upgraded, communities are being connected, and economic activities are being stimulated.

If local governments have truly been destroyed, as the writer dramatically claims, why are councils still initiating and commissioning projects? The answer is obvious: the claim does not align with reality.

The article also attempts to weaponise the Supreme Court judgement on local government financial autonomy by presenting it as a direct indictment of the current administration. Again, the issue is far more nuanced than the author would have readers believe.

The implementation of constitutional and judicial decisions is not subject to the whims and caprices of governors. Rather, it is a legal and institutional process involving multiple stakeholders. It cannot be reduced to simplistic campaign slogans designed to score partisan points.

As Honourable Bimbo Adekanmbi asked during his interview, in which APC-controlled state does local government autonomy currently exist?

More importantly, the article ignores a central fact: the administration of Seyi Makinde has consistently demonstrated a commitment to grassroots development. Investments in rural roads, primary healthcare centres, education, agriculture, and security have directly impacted communities across Oyo State. These are not abstract promises; they are visible interventions that residents can see and experience.

What appears to be happening is a deliberate attempt to equate continuity with stagnation. Because Adekanmbi has pledged to build on the achievements of Governor Seyi Makinde, the author assumes he intends to perpetuate every allegation levelled against the government by its critics. This is an intellectually lazy argument.

Continuity does not mean duplication. It means sustaining what works while improving what requires improvement. Every responsible administration builds on existing foundations. No serious leader assumes office with the intention of dismantling successful programmes merely to create an impression of independence.

The people of Oyo State are discerning enough to distinguish between legitimate criticism and political fearmongering. That is why attempts to portray Adekanmbi’s candidacy as a threat to grassroots governance have already begun to falter. Facts remain facts, no matter how loudly the prophets of doom protest.

While political opponents remain preoccupied with manufacturing fears about tomorrow, Bimbo Adekanmbi remains focused on a simple mission: building on progress, strengthening institutions, and expanding opportunities for the people of Oyo State.

Dr. Sulaimon Olanrewaju is the Co-Director (Media and Publicity), Oyo APM Presidential and Gubernatorial Campaign Council