2027: We’ll fight poverty, insecurity to restore Oyo’s lost glory — ADC guber candidate, Adegboyega

The governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Oyo State, Taofeeq Adegboyega, has pledged to wage a determined war against poverty and insecurity if elected governor of the state in the 2027 governorship election.

Adegboyega made the pledge on Monday at the inauguration of the ADC campaign council and team of advisers for the 2027 election, where he declared that his campaign would be driven by issues, extensive grassroots engagement and practical solutions to the challenges confronting the state.

He said the party was preparing adequately for the election scheduled for February 6, 2027, stressing that the inauguration of the campaign council was part of efforts to ensure that the party was fully prepared ahead of the commencement of electioneering.

Adegboyega said, “It is important for us to prepare very well for the upcoming election, which is scheduled for February 6, 2027.“

“In preparation for INEC’s declaration of the commencement of the electioneering campaign, it is important for us to inaugurate our campaign council and team of advisers.“

“These people are expected to guide, advise and lead the campaign for the 2027 election. We are very confident that we are going to win the election on February 6, 2027, because we are not going to leave any stone unturned.”

He said the party would embark on an extensive grassroots campaign across the state, promising to communicate its programmes in simple language while allowing residents to participate in determining the priorities of their communities.

“We are going to work very hard and campaign very hard. We are going to carry everyone along and leave nobody behind.“

“We will speak to our people in the language they understand, breaking down our programmes to the simplest possible level so that they can understand our agenda and what we are bringing to the table,” he said.

The ADC candidate said his campaign would avoid personal attacks, name-calling and empty promises, insisting that the party would focus on presenting its programmes and listening to the concerns of the people.

“We are not going to engage in empty talks, name-calling or attacks. This campaign is going to be issue-based. We are going to tell the people what we have for them, and we are also going to listen to them,” Adegboyega said.

He added that the campaign would include town hall meetings with different groups, including market associations, artisans, traditional rulers, civil servants, labour unions and pensioners.

“Nobody will be left behind because we want to sell our ideas and programmes for the development of the state. I can assure you that by the time we come to the end of the election campaign, we must have reached every nook and cranny of the state and disseminated information about our programmes for its development,” he said.

Adegboyega identified insecurity and poverty as two major challenges his administration would confront, declaring that both would receive the same level of attention.

“Security is a war that must be won. Poverty is a war that must be won, and we are going to win both,” he declared.

He promised that the ADC administration would seek to restore Oyo State’s former economic and developmental prominence, arguing that the state had a rich history of pioneering achievements which should be matched by contemporary development.

“By the time we finish our eight-year tenure, we will be leaving behind a vibrant, dynamic and prosperous state. When we leave the Government House, we will have restored the name and glory of the state,” he said.

Adegboyega recalled that Oyo State had historically been home to several landmark achievements, including the establishment of the first television station in Africa, the University of Ibadan and the construction of the first dual carriageway.

“There was a time when the first stadium in Africa was built here. The first television station in Africa was established here, even before some European countries. The University of Ibadan was established here, and the first dual carriageway was constructed here.

“But what are we presenting today? We are still living in the past glory. We can change that dynamic. I will change the story and turn it around positively,” he said.

On agriculture, the ADC candidate promised to construct a rail line linking Ibadan with Saki to improve the movement of agricultural produce from the state’s farming communities to markets.

“For instance, we are going to construct a rail line from Ibadan to Saki to improve logistics for farmers so that they can move their agricultural produce from the food basket of the state to the marketplace,” he said.

Adegboyega said the proposed agricultural transport infrastructure would complement measures to improve farm productivity through the provision of improved seeds and other inputs.

“If you have been producing one tonne of maize per hectare, we will provide improved inputs that can enable you to produce three tonnes. If you can increase your production from one tonne to three tonnes, you will make more money, support your family and educate your children. We are therefore calling on our people to return to farming,” he said.

He also promised a major investment in education, particularly Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), saying the sector would be central to his administration’s development agenda.

Adegboyega expressed concern over the poor state of science laboratories in some schools, saying students should be given opportunities to conduct practical experiments rather than relying mainly on what is commonly referred to as alternative to practical.

“Education will not be left behind. We are going to invest in education and encourage STEM, which means Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. We are going to encourage and retrain teachers to teach science subjects effectively. We are going to equip our laboratories,” he said.

He recalled his experience as a student of Olivet Baptist High School, saying practical exposure had helped stimulate his interest in science.

“When I was at Olivet Baptist High School, during Biology practicals, we were given guinea pigs. That experience helped to encourage some of us to develop interest in science and medicine. When you practise and see the results, you enjoy it and desire to learn more,” he said.

According to him, Oyo State could replicate the kind of sustained investment in STEM that had contributed to India’s emergence as a major global technology hub.

He further promised to review classroom sizes and ensure that teachers were adequately trained and deployed to meet the needs of students.

On the civil service, Adegboyega assured workers that his administration would not embark on indiscriminate retrenchment, but would instead retrain and redeploy personnel according to their skills.

“We are going to retain civil servants and make them more productive. Those who are not in the right positions will be retrained and redeployed to areas where their skills can be better utilised. We are not going to fire anybody,” he said.

He also promised to engage workers and address concerns raised by civil servants, saying dialogue rather than confrontation would be the approach of his administration.

“You cannot be a dictator. What we are going to do is dialogue with them and find ways of resolving the issues. We will bring everybody on board,” he said.

Adegboyega said the party’s acronym, “SOLUTIONS”, represented the broad areas its administration intended to address, beginning with security and agricultural development.

“Without security, there can be no development. Therefore, there will be proper security across the state,” he said.

He also promised to strengthen the traditional institution and provide traditional rulers with the resources and authority required to contribute effectively to security and governance in their domains.

“The law provides for a percentage of allocations to be made available to traditional councils, but if you look at the situation today, they are not receiving what is due to them.“

“We are going to empower our traditional rulers so that they can contribute effectively to security in their domains,” he said.

The ADC candidate said it would be unfair to hold traditional rulers responsible for security without providing them with the resources necessary to perform such responsibilities.

“When you say a traditional ruler or chief should ensure security in his area, you must support him financially and morally to perform that responsibility.“

“If they fail to perform after being given the necessary resources and authority, there must be consequences. But you cannot sanction anybody when you have not provided the financial resources required to perform,” he said.

He equally promised to empower the 33 local governments and ensure regular security meetings involving local government authorities, security agencies and traditional institutions.

“Every month, they must hold meetings involving security agencies and traditional institutions in their areas to identify emerging threats and problems and find solutions.“

“That is the only way I can hold them responsible for security because I will empower them and give them the freedom to operate,” he said.

Adegboyega further pledged that every local government would construct at least 10 kilometres of inner roads within the first 100 days of his administration.

“Within the first 100 days of my government, every local government must construct at least 10 kilometres of inner roads. I am talking about inner roads, not major roads that are the responsibility of the state government,” he said.

He stressed that the proposed road projects would not be cosmetic, promising that they would be properly constructed and durable.

The ADC candidate also pledged full autonomy for local governments, saying his administration would introduce consequence management to ensure that elected officials were accountable to residents, adding that, “Once again, I thank you and appreciate you for coming. I am ready to take your questions.“

Earlier, the Oyo State Chairman of the ADC, Afees Jimoh, said the party had successfully uploaded the names of its candidates for various elective positions in the state to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Jimoh said the candidates had been returned by party members and leaders across the various local government areas and constituencies of the state.

He commended the party’s national leadership and Adegboyega for remaining committed to the ADC despite challenges encountered in the build-up to the 2027 election.

“I salute the courage of our national leader and our governorship candidate who stood by the party through the thick and thin. He has really shown capacity,” Jimoh said.

Jimoh said the inauguration of the campaign council was an important step towards mobilising the party for the forthcoming election.

“What we are here for today is just one line programme, and it is the inauguration of the campaign committee of ADC and our governorship candidate and all other contestants under ADC,” he said.

Jimoh expressed confidence that the party would emerge victorious at the polls, urging members and supporters to remain committed to the campaign.