The All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in Oyo State, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, has promised prompt payment of salaries, allowances and other entitlements to workers, saying their welfare would be a priority if elected governor in 2027.

Alli’s promise comes amid industrial actions by medical and dental officers in the Oyo State public service and lecturers at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, over unresolved welfare issues and outstanding entitlements.

Members of the Association of Medical and Dental Officers of Oyo State (AMDO), who provide medical services in government health facilities, commenced a seven-day warning strike on Monday, October 26, while members of the university’s chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) began an indefinite strike on Thursday, October 29.

The two industrial actions have raised concerns over healthcare delivery in government hospitals and the disruption of academic activities at the state-owned university.

Reacting to the development, Alli criticised Governor Seyi Makinde over the unresolved disputes, accusing his administration of failing to adequately address workers’ welfare and the challenges confronting the state’s healthcare and education sectors.

In a statement by the Director of Media and Publicity of the Senator Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation, Bisi Oladele, the APC candidate described the strikes as disturbing, particularly given their implications for patients and students.

He questioned how a government that consistently proclaimed its commitment to workers’ welfare could allow disputes over outstanding allowances and the implementation of the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU agreement to degenerate into industrial action.

According to the statement, AMDO’s demands include payment of outstanding allowances, restoration of salaries of medical personnel transferred from field assignments to the Ministry of Health and resolution of other welfare-related issues.

The LAUTECH ASUU branch is demanding implementation of the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU agreement, payment of outstanding earned academic allowances and promotion arrears, as well as improvements in the university’s facilities and administrative structure.

Alli expressed particular concern over the implications of the doctors’ strike for residents who depend on public hospitals, especially pregnant women, children, pensioners and low-income families.

“At a time when Oyo State government hospitals are struggling with shortages of medical personnel, inadequate equipment and other operational challenges, the state can ill-afford the prolonged withdrawal of services by its doctors and dental officers.

“The consequences are borne not by government officials who can afford private medical care, but by ordinary citizens, particularly pregnant women, children, pensioners and low-income families who depend on public healthcare facilities. Every additional day of this strike raises serious concerns about access to emergency treatment, continuity of care and the welfare of vulnerable patients,” the statement quoted him as saying.

The APC candidate also faulted Makinde for allegedly prioritising political activities outside the state while the disputes remained unresolved, arguing that the governor should concentrate on addressing the challenges confronting residents rather than pursuing his presidential ambition.

He described the situation as a contradiction of the administration’s repeated claims about its commitment to workers’ welfare, insisting that government must demonstrate its concern through the prompt settlement of legitimate entitlements and improved working conditions.

The campaign organisation appealed to the striking medical personnel and lecturers to remain open to meaningful dialogue, while acknowledging their right to pursue legitimate employment demands through lawful means.

It also called on the state government to make immediate contingency arrangements to protect patients requiring emergency and life-saving medical attention throughout the period of the industrial action.

Reaffirming his commitment to workers’ welfare, Alli promised that his administration, if elected, would prioritise regular payment of salaries and allowances, constructive engagement with labour unions and improved facilities across public hospitals.

“Unlike Governor Makinde, Senator Alli will place the welfare of healthcare professionals, education and the wellbeing of the people at the heart of his administration.

“His government will prioritise prompt payment of salaries and allowances, constructive engagement with medical personnel and the provision of modern equipment and essential facilities in public hospitals,” the statement added.

Defectors accuse governor of neglect, vow to work for APC victory in 2027

The political camp of Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has suffered a major setback following the defection of more than 200 former councillors to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The former councillors, who served in the legislatures of the state’s 33 local government areas between 2021 and 2024, announced their defection on Tuesday, declaring their readiness to mobilise their supporters for the victory of APC candidates in the 2027 general elections.

The defectors, who also claimed to have thousands of supporters behind them, were received at the APC state secretariat in Oke-Ado, Ibadan, by the party’s state executive members led by its chairman, Otunba Moses Alake Adeyemo.

The former Senate Leader and Coordinator of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Senator Teslim Folarin, and members of his team were also present at the secretariat on a courtesy visit when the defectors arrived.

Speaking on behalf of the group, Hon. Muili Kazeem Arowodana said their decision to leave the ruling Allied People’s Movement was driven by what he described as years of neglect, hardship and unfair treatment under the Makinde administration.

Arowodana said the former councillors served for three years without the benefits and opportunities they expected, accusing the governor of denying them the means to meet the needs of their constituents.

“We have wasted a lot of years in the Omititun camp of Governor Seyi Makinde. We have suffered untold hardship, dehumanisation and deprivation,” he said.

He alleged that funds meant for local governments were diverted through the joint account arrangement, leaving the councils with inadequate resources to execute projects and meet the needs of residents.

The former councillor also complained about poor salaries, the absence of allowances and the alleged withholding of severance benefits, which he said had left many former councillors struggling financially.

He further accused the governor of concentrating decisions on projects, contractors and costs in his administration, leaving elected representatives with little opportunity to attract meaningful development to their communities.

Arowodana said the group had decided to move on politically, expressing confidence that the APC would provide a better platform for their ambitions and the development of their communities.

He also declared the group’s support for Senator Sharafadeen Alli as the party’s preferred option for the 2027 governorship election.

According to him, the former councillors would deploy their grassroots connections to mobilise voters for Alli and other APC candidates, insisting that they were determined to help the party secure victory at the polls.

SSACO demands immediate halt to proposed deal, says public assets belong to the people

The Senator Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation (SSACO) has warned Governor Seyi Makinde against any move to sell or allocate the Cheshire Home land in Eleyele, Ibadan, to private developers, insisting that public properties must be protected for the benefit of the people.

The organisation said the reported plan had raised fresh concerns about the handling of public assets in Oyo State, warning that the state could lose valuable land needed for future public infrastructure if such properties were transferred to private interests without proper justification.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Director of Media and Publicity of SSACO, Bisi Oladele, called for an immediate halt to any proposed transaction involving the Cheshire Home land.

Oladele said the governor was only a custodian of the state’s assets and had a responsibility to protect them for present and future generations.

“Governor Makinde must understand that he is a temporary custodian of the people’s commonwealth, not its absolute owner,” the statement said.

The organisation questioned the wisdom of disposing of public land in strategic locations when the state would continue to need space for schools, hospitals, recreational centres, social welfare institutions and other essential facilities.

It warned that public assets acquired or preserved by previous administrations should not be allowed to disappear without clear explanations of the reasons for their disposal and the benefits to the people.

“What will be left for future generations if every strategically located public property is converted into a private estate, shopping complex or commercial development?” the organisation asked.

SSACO argued that as Ibadan and other parts of the state continue to grow, land would become increasingly important for public infrastructure and social services. It said government should be looking for ways to expand such facilities rather than reduce the assets available for public use.

The organisation also expressed concern about what it described as recurring controversies surrounding the ownership, allocation and commercial development of public properties under the Makinde administration.

It called on the state government to clarify the status of the Cheshire Home land and explain whether any sale or allocation to private developers was being considered.

According to SSACO, decisions involving public properties must be guided by transparency, accountability and the overall interest of residents, not commercial considerations alone.

The organisation therefore demanded an immediate suspension of any proposed sale or allocation of the land until the circumstances surrounding the reported plan were made clear.

It also urged the government to ensure that any decision concerning public assets was open to scrutiny and supported by compelling reasons.

“Oyo State belongs to its people, and its collective inheritance must be protected,” the statement added.