Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has defended the competence of his administration, saying his government assembled a team of professionals and academics to manage the affairs of the state and deliver on its responsibilities to the people.
Makinde, while speaking on the leadership and experience required to govern Oyo State, said his administration deliberately selected what he described as its “first 11” a team of professionals with diverse expertise to serve the state.
According to him, “you can see a team standing before you. Me, as a governor, I’m an engineer; the deputy governor is a professional lawyer; and the Attorney General of the state, the SSG is an academic professor of economics, and the Head of Service has a PhD. We brought our first 11 to serve Oyo State.”
The governor urged residents to carefully consider the experience and professional background of candidates when deciding who should lead the state, stressing that governance involves decisions that affect millions of lives.
Makinde said voters should not be persuaded solely by political claims or titles, particularly where the experience being presented by a candidate does not correspond with the responsibilities attached to the office.
He stated, “If you choose to vote for the one who claimed to be a lawyer but never stepped into a courtroom before, some even said they have served as a chairman before and claimed that they will develop schools, but hear this: no administration in Oyo State has ever employed teachers more than us.”
The governor also contrasted his administration’s approach with what he described as political rhetoric from some opposition figures, arguing that his government had demonstrated its capacity through concrete decisions and policies rather than promises.
“We don’t just talk because we are nonentity,” Makinde said, while referring to some of the campaign promises and political statements attributed to his opponents.
He further made reference to a proposal he attributed to one of the political actors, saying, “Someone even said he will create ‘Kokoro Alate ministry.’”
Makinde maintained that the office of governor should not be treated casually because of the scale of responsibility attached to it, particularly the impact of government decisions on citizens across the state.
“Governorship is a serious business because he has millions of destinies in his hand,” he said, emphasising the need for voters to consider competence, experience and the ability to make critical decisions when choosing the next leadership of the state.
The governor also recalled the early period of his administration, particularly the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, which occurred only about six months after he assumed office.
According to Makinde, the pandemic presented one of the earliest major tests of his administration, amid pressure and criticism over the measures being adopted to contain the disease.
“I was just six months old as a governor when COVID-19 hit, and they were all crying that I wanted to kill the people of Oyo State, but we refused to knock down Oyo State,” he recalled.
He said his administration deliberately adopted measures that sought to balance public health concerns with the need to sustain economic and social activities, noting that Oyo State did not completely shut down markets and schools in the manner experienced in some other places.
“Not even market. Schools and markets were opened,” Makinde said, adding that a different approach could have been taken if his administration had prioritised political considerations over the welfare of residents.
“If we really wanted to play with politics then, we’ll close down everywhere,” he stated.
Makinde used the experience to reinforce his argument that governance requires difficult and consequential decisions, rather than political slogans or campaign promises.
“This is a place for serious decision-making,” the governor said, urging the electorate to recognise the responsibilities associated with governing Oyo State and to assess prospective leaders based on their capacity to manage those responsibilities.
His comments come amid increasing political activity and discussions over leadership, competence and the direction of Oyo State ahead of the next electoral cycle.
