The governorship candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement, APM, in Oyo State, Mr Bimbo Adekanmbi, has declared that he is ready to face criticism and opposition from the people if his administration fails to deliver
Adekanmbi made the declaration on Thursday during a media hangout with journalists at Thames Hotel, Jericho, Ibadan, where he outlined his vision and priorities for the state.
“I am ready to be held accountable because governance is about the people and not about the individual occupying the office,” he said.
“If I fail to do well as governor, I know people are waiting to criticise me and fight me, but I am ready.”
The APM candidate said he was not seeking the governorship for political power, but to provide purposeful leadership that addresses the challenges confronting residents across the state.
He said his administration would place the welfare of residents at the centre of government policies, with focus on the economy, education, healthcare, infrastructure, security and employment for young people.
On the economy, Adekanmbi promised to encourage investment, strengthen local businesses and remove bureaucratic bottlenecks to allow entrepreneurs to thrive.
He said the administration would also harness the state’s agricultural potential by supporting farmers with inputs, modern techniques, financing, processing facilities and markets. He stressed the need to move beyond raw material production to developing value chains that generate wealth and jobs within Oyo.
For youth development, he said: “We cannot continue to tell our young people to wait for government jobs when the government alone cannot employ everybody. What we need is a government that will create the conditions for young people to become employers of labour.”
In education, he pledged to prioritise rehabilitation of public schools, provision of learning facilities and improvement of teaching quality, while strengthening technical and vocational education to make graduates employable.
On healthcare, Adekanmbi promised to strengthen primary healthcare centres and improve access to affordable and quality medical services, particularly for residents in rural communities.
He also pledged to address the infrastructure deficit through a coordinated development plan, with emphasis on roads linking rural communities, agricultural centres, markets and urban areas.
On security, the candidate said his administration would strengthen collaboration with security agencies and community stakeholders to ensure safety of lives and property, noting that no meaningful development could occur in an atmosphere of insecurity.
Adekanmbi further promised a transparent and accountable government, saying public resources must be deployed for the benefit of the people.
“I am not going into government to silence people. If you see something that is wrong, tell me. If I make a mistake, criticise me. If the criticism is constructive, it will help us to correct ourselves and serve the people better,” he said.
He urged Oyo residents to assess governorship candidates based on programmes, competence, integrity and capacity to deliver, rather than party affiliations.
“The 2027 election should be seen as an opportunity for the people to determine the kind of leadership they want for the state over the next four years,” he added.
Adekanmbi appealed to journalists to continue to hold political office seekers accountable and expressed confidence that the people of Oyo State were ready for a new political direction focused on issues affecting everyday lives rather than personal attacks.
