Government rejects criticism from Folarin campaign organisation, cites power and stadium upgrades
The Oyo State Government has defended its streetlight and Lekan Salami Stadium projects following criticism from the campaign organisation of All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant Senator Teslim Folarin Alli.
The government described the criticism as “desperation, distortion and a frantic struggle for relevance” and said it would continue to defend projects it considers important to the state’s development.
The response was contained in a statement by Governor Seyi Makinde’s Special Adviser on Media, Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju.
Government explains use of generators
The Folarin campaign organisation had questioned the government’s engineering decisions over the streetlight project.
In response, Olanrewaju said generators were being used to power some streetlights because of inadequate electricity supply from the national grid.
He also pointed to the state government’s investment in alternative power, saying Oyo had built a 5MW solar power plant that was being upgraded to 12MW.
The government said keeping major roads illuminated was part of its responsibility to improve safety and public infrastructure.
Dispute over Lekan Salami Stadium
The two sides also disagreed over the status of the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan.
The Folarin campaign organisation questioned whether the renovated stadium had secured the necessary Confederation of African Football (CAF) approval to host a continental fixture involving Shooting Stars.
Oyo Government rejected the criticism, saying the renovation had already enabled Ibadan to host international football.
Olanrewaju cited a February 2026 fixture involving the Falconets and Senegal as an example of an international match held at the facility.
He explained that the temporary absence of Shooting Stars’ international matches at the stadium was linked to additional upgrades intended to meet evolving international standards.
Political dispute continues
The disagreement comes against the backdrop of increasing political activity in Oyo ahead of the 2027 elections.
The governor’s media office has rejected the opposition’s interpretation of the projects, while the Folarin campaign organisation has continued to question aspects of their implementation.
The competing claims over the stadium and streetlight projects illustrate the broader political debate over infrastructure delivery, public spending and governance in the state.