The Senator Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation has said the recent commendation of President Bola Tinubu by Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has raised fresh questions about the political platform backing Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde’s 2027 presidential ambition.

The organisation described Mohammed’s remarks as a contradiction that could undermine the argument being advanced by Makinde and his supporters for a change of leadership at the federal level.

Mohammed, who is the national leader of the Allied Peoples Movement, the platform on which Makinde is seeking the presidency, had publicly acknowledged that Tinubu had “done so well” in some key areas, particularly finance, health and security.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Director of Media and Publicity of the Senator Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation, Bisi Oladele, said the Bauchi governor’s comments were significant given his position within the political structure supporting Makinde’s presidential bid.

Oladele said it was difficult to reconcile Mohammed’s commendation of the President with the argument that Nigerians needed to replace Tinubu in 2027.

“The question Nigerians should now ask is simple: if one of the principal promoters of Makinde’s presidential ambition truthfully admits that President Tinubu is doing well, what exactly is the justification for Makinde asking Nigerians to replace the President?” the statement read.

The campaign organisation said Mohammed deserved commendation for acknowledging what he considered positive aspects of the Federal Government’s performance instead of opposing the administration on every issue.

It argued that the governor’s remarks had also exposed what it described as contradictions within the political coalition around Makinde.

The organisation recalled that Mohammed had previously backed Makinde’s presidential aspiration and spoken positively about his leadership qualities.

It therefore questioned whether the political coalition supporting the Oyo governor had a sufficiently coherent position on the performance of the Tinubu administration.

“Even more instructive is the fact that Governor Mohammed had previously endorsed Makinde and described him as the leader Nigeria needed,” the statement said.

“His latest acknowledgement of President Tinubu’s performance therefore raises legitimate political questions about the cohesion, conviction and sustainability of the so-called coalition behind Makinde.”

The Alli campaign organisation further alleged that Makinde’s presidential ambition could be part of a broader political bargaining strategy ahead of the 2027 elections.

It said the Oyo governor’s presidential aspiration appeared to be serving as a means of strengthening his negotiating position as political alliances and permutations ahead of 2027 continue to take shape.

“We have always maintained that Makinde’s so-called presidential ambition appears less like a serious pathway to Aso Rock and more like a political bargaining chip designed to enhance his negotiating position in the unfolding 2027 political equation,” it said.

The organisation also questioned the strength of Makinde’s campaign, arguing that presidential politics would ultimately depend on political structures, alliances, organisation and public support.

“Makinde may continue to erect billboards, commission campaign offices and make grandiose declarations about ‘resetting’ Nigeria, but politics is ultimately about structures, numbers, credibility and alliances,” it said.

The campaign organisation, however, acknowledged Makinde’s constitutional right to contest the presidency but urged him to concentrate more on his record as governor of Oyo State.

It said issues including infrastructure, education, healthcare, the state’s finances, the local economy and workers’ welfare should also form part of the assessment of his administration.

“The people of Oyo State are more interested in his legacy—the state’s debt profile, the condition of the local economy, infrastructure, education, healthcare and the welfare of workers—than in a presidential adventure whose political foundations are already crumbling,” the statement added.

It concluded that while Makinde was entitled to pursue his presidential ambition, ambition alone should not be confused with national acceptance or political viability.

“Governor Makinde is free to aspire to the highest office in the land. That is his constitutional right. But he should not mistake ambition for viability, publicity for popularity or political bargaining for a genuine national movement,” the organisation said.

The campaign organisation of the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in Oyo State, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, has warned members of the public against fraudsters allegedly impersonating the senator and members of his campaign team to obtain sensitive personal information.

The organisation said the suspected fraudsters had been contacting unsuspecting members of the public by telephone and requesting their National Identification Numbers, bank account details and other confidential information.

The warning was contained in a statement issued on Saturday by the Director of Media and Publicity of the campaign organisation, Bisi Oladele.

Oladele described the development as an attempt to deceive members of the public and expose their personal and financial information to possible abuse.

He said, “Neither Senator Sharafadeen Alli nor his campaign organisation has authorised anyone to solicit NINs, bank details, passwords, PINs, One-Time Passwords or any other confidential information from members of the public.”

The campaign organisation urged anyone who receives such calls or messages to disregard them and avoid disclosing personal, banking or identification details until the identity of the caller has been properly verified.

It also cautioned members of the public against transferring money or responding to requests for financial assistance made through unverified telephone numbers, social media accounts or other unofficial communication channels purportedly linked to the campaign.

The organisation warned that sensitive information could be exploited for identity theft, financial fraud and other criminal activities.

It urged victims or members of the public who encounter suspicious calls or messages to report them promptly to the appropriate security agencies.

The campaign organisation said it was taking the allegations seriously and would cooperate with relevant authorities to identify and prosecute anyone found to be involved in impersonation, fraud or other criminal activities using Alli’s name.

It further advised the public to remain vigilant and verify unsolicited requests before responding to them, stressing that information about Alli and his campaign should be obtained only through officially verified communication channels.

The organisation reaffirmed Alli’s commitment to lawful and transparent engagement with the people of Oyo State, maintaining that legitimate political engagement does not require anyone to surrender confidential banking or identity information to unidentified callers.

The Senator Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation has criticised the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, over the prolonged strike by resident doctors at the Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso.

The organisation said the strike, which has lasted for more than 30 days, was taking a toll on healthcare delivery and exposing what it described as the government’s failure to adequately address the welfare concerns of medical personnel in the state.

The Director of Media and Publicity of the organisation, Bisi Oladele, stated this in a statement issued on Sunday.

The organisation also expressed concern over the 21-day warning strike issued by the Association of Medical and Dental Officers of Oyo State over unresolved issues bordering on welfare, remuneration and conditions of service.

According to the group, the situation was worrisome because medical workers were being forced to embark on industrial action over issues relating to allowances, residency training funds and salary arrears.

It said the resident doctors were demanding the payment of outstanding Medical Residency Training Fund and six months’ Minimum Wage arrears, among other welfare-related issues.

The organisation said the prolonged strike had negatively affected medical services at the teaching hospital, with patients who could not afford private healthcare allegedly left with the option of waiting for services to resume or seeking alternative treatment.

“The SSACO is concerned about Governor Seyi Makinde’s failure to sit with the striking resident doctors and find a lasting solution to their demands.

“As the strike prolongs, the resident doctors feel maltreated, while the masses bear the brunt of government’s insensitivity.

“Healthcare delivery is a critical service which serious administrations treat with urgency and with the importance it deserves. With this prolonged strike, our resident doctors are feeling maltreated while the masses suffer.

“The medical and dental officers across state hospitals have also served notice of a warning strike. This combination is a signal of government failure in the health sector. It is unacceptable in our dear state,” the statement read.

The group maintained that the situation could worsen if the grievances of health workers were not urgently addressed, warning that further disruption of services could have serious consequences for patients dependent on public hospitals for affordable and specialised treatment.

It challenged the state government to engage the striking doctors and resolve the outstanding issues, accusing the administration of treating their complaints with insufficient urgency.

The organisation further said healthcare would occupy a priority position in Senator Sharafadeen Alli’s Oyo AHEAD agenda, promising improved welfare and working conditions for health workers.

“Health workers and other civil servants will not be denied their entitlements. They will enjoy training and retraining, and they will have facilities to work with,” it said.