Hakeem Alao, an aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Tuesday declared his candidacy for the 2027 Oyo State governorship election. He made the announcement at the Emmanuel Alayande Teachers Resource Centre in Samonda, Ibadan, unveiling a policy framework titled the "Redemption Mission" focused on agriculture, healthcare, education, and civil service reform. Alao described his bid as a "solemn commitment" to restore Oyo State's former prominence, referencing its historical status as a pacesetter and "home of firsts." He said the decision followed consultations with APC elders and engagements with residents across markets, farms, schools, and healthcare centres.
Alao's agricultural agenda includes mechanisation, improved financing for farmers, value-chain development, and the creation of agricultural processing zones in each of the state's senatorial districts. He pledged to revive irrigation systems to enable year-round farming and provide farmers with modern equipment and improved seedlings. In healthcare, he proposed a "Health for All" initiative targeting the upgrade of primary healthcare centres, revitalisation of general hospitals, and stronger preventive care to reduce maternal and infant mortality. For education, Alao advocated declaring a state of emergency, with plans to rehabilitate infrastructure, improve teacher welfare, and prioritise STEM and digital literacy. He also promised scholarship schemes and support for vocational training to combat youth unemployment. Alao committed to civil service reform through merit-based promotions, digitisation of government processes, and better worker welfare. He urged the APC to select a credible candidate in the primaries, warning against choices driven by sentiment or financial influence.
Hakeem Alao promises to restore Oyo's past glory while proposing a state of emergency in education, raising the question of how long decay has been allowed to persist under successive administrations. His focus on mechanised agriculture and processing zones suggests current farmers are stuck in outdated systems with little state support. If Oyo was once the pacesetter, as he claims, then the years of decline must have occurred under the very political class now expected to deliver redemption. The burden of proof lies with Alao to show his plan differs from past unfulfilled pledges.
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