Senator Sharafadeen Alli has declared that the 2027 governorship election in Oyo State is in the hand of God.
The senator representing Oyo South Senatorial District said this in view of speculations that he embarked on various constituency projects to wet grounds ahead his speculated governorship ambition.
As contained in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr Akeem Abas, on Friday, the federal lawmaker made the declaration while featuring on a radio programme in Ibadan, on Thursday.
He dismissed the speculations that he was executive a lot of projects within his senatorial district because he is eyeing the governorship seat in 2027.
The lawmaker said he was elected as a senator, adding that he was being guided by his electioneering promises to the people, promising to do more for his people.
“I promised to sink 100 boreholes in the 99 wards that make up Oyo South. Today, we have done more than 40 and hoping to finish by July this year.
“It is not about being governor, I was elected as a senator. I am contented today being a senator. Where I will be in 2027 is in the hand of God,” he said.
Senator Sharafadeen Alli also assured that the 2024 Budget would benefit Nigerians, urging them to continue supporting President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Alli, the Senate Committee Chairman on Electoral Matters, said the president was leaving no stone unturned to return Nigeria to economic prosperity.
“The 2024 Budget is different from the 2023 Budget. We have been running a deficit budget for several years. The reality today is that the percentage of deficit is less than what it used to be.
“Today, we have more money to conserve as a result of improvement in revenue generation. President Tinubu is doing very well. May God bless him and give him good health.
“We are going to get there. It may not be really visible, but there have been lots of improvement. You can also see that those taking [stealing] billions are not been spared,” he said.
Speaking on the distribution of cash to the vulnerable, Alli said it was not the best, but better than not doing anything at all.
He acknowledged that Nigerians were going through a lot of hardship Nigerians, but he assured that the hardship would soon be over and urged the people to persevere.
“I am Nigerian and I know things are very hard today. This hardship is temporary and will soon be over. It is just like pouring iodine on a sour; at first, it will be painful and later dry off.
“Giving cash is not the best, but a stop gap. It is better to give it than not doing anything at all,” the All Progressives Congress (APC) federal lawmaker said.
Alli also described as untrue the information that all National Assembly members have collected bags of rice or hundreds of million naira, saying there was nothing of such.
He said it was a statement made by the president last October, but added “we haven’t received of such till we left on December 31, 2023.
“There is none of the three senators from Oyo State who has not distributed more than two trucks of rice during the festive period. This was purchased individually by the three senators.
“We have not received any rice from the government. We will continue to serve our people diligently as promised during the campaign,” he said.
Alli said he had, since assumption of office, been involved in several oversight functions in the area of legislative functions.
The lawmaker said no fewer than 1000 youths have benefitted from e-commerce and agribusiness, while 3,000 widows, as well as 3,000 traders, have benefitted from a N70million worth of food bank.
Alli said he facilitated ICT centres, installed no fewer than 200 solar lights, donated inverters/boreholes to the police, paid WAEC fees of 54 students, constructed public toilet, and assisted individuals and associations financially.
He said the 10th National Assembly, under the leadership of Senator Godswill Akpabio, was determined to make laws that would benefit Nigeria and Nigerians.
“I have been involved in some bills and motions, prominent among which was the one I moved for a befitting burial/immortalisation of Pa Taiwo Akinkunmi, designer of the national flag.
“I have a private Bill on pensioners issues. What we have on ground today is not in consonance with realities. I already proposed some amendments in the Bill.
“I am also much involved in the proposal for the establishment of Federal Medical Centre in Ibarapa.
“This was the initial proposal of Dr Ajibola Muraina, the former representative of Ibarapa Central/North federal constituency,” he said.
Alli said he was working with the incumbent representative of the federal constituency, Dr Anthony Adepoju, towards actualising the proposal at the National Assembly.
He said he was also involved in the successes recorded in some oversight functions carried out by other committees of the National Assembly, particularly that on the Judiciary.
