Hon Kunle Olatunji, the governorship candidate of the Action Democratic Party (ADP) in Oyo State, has outlined plans to prioritise education, healthcare, energy, local government autonomy and environmental sanitation, if elected governor in the 2027 elections.
Olatunji unveils plans for Oyo State
He made this known during a media parley and official declaration held at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre, Iyaganku, Ibadan, on Saturday.
The ADP candidate said his ambition was driven by a desire to serve the people, rather than an obsession with political power, insisting that he would welcome public scrutiny, if elected.
“I want to serve the people. I am not desperate to become governor. If I don’t perform, hold me responsible,” he said.
He described Oyo State as a state blessed with exceptional human resources and intellectual capacity, noting that it must sustain its identity as a pace-setter in Nigeria.
Acknowledging past administrations, Olatunji particularly described the late former Governor Abiola Ajimobi as an architect of modern-day Oyo State, while calling for continuity in the development of the state’s potential.
On education, he promised to introduce what he described as a unique educational programme across all levels, which he said would become one of the best in the country.
He also emphasised the importance of skills-based education, noting that technical and vocational training remained essential to economic growth, wealth creation and employment generation.
The candidate further proposed the establishment of dedicated trust funds for the education and health sectors to ensure sustainable financing and improved service delivery.
On healthcare, Olatunji said revitalising primary healthcare facilities would be among his administration’s priorities, adding that functional public health centres were central to his proposed healthcare reforms.
He also pledged to establish a trust fund for the sector to strengthen access to healthcare services across the state.
Addressing energy challenges, he said his administration would pursue strategic collaboration with the Federal Government to strengthen the state’s energy sector, noting that reliable energy supply was critical to economic development.
Olatunji also promised to implement full autonomy for local government areas in Oyo State and ensure that local council development areas (LCDAs) became more effective in grassroots administration.
He proposed a community-based security framework involving community policing, state policing and personnel training, alongside the deployment of real-time online monitoring systems to strengthen security operations.
On environmental management, the ADP governorship candidate said his administration would introduce waste management training, promote cleaner communities and explore ways of converting waste into economic resources.
He proposed the establishment of waste management centres in every local government area, expressing confidence that Oyo State could earn recognition as the cleanest state in Nigeria.
Olatunji also identified culture and tourism as potential sources of revenue, promising to engage professionals to develop the state’s tourism destinations and cultural assets.
He pledged to give traditional rulers greater recognition and involvement in governance, describing their contributions as important to community development and stability.
The candidate further promised to create opportunities for young people in government, describing youth inclusion as essential to the state’s future development.
Earlier, the state Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Apostle Dare Ojo, described the party as the only peaceful political party in the state, claiming that its electoral process was conducted without any form of crisis.
Ojo prayed for a peaceful development of Oyo State and called on journalists and electoral officers to uphold transparency in the electoral process.
He also urged voters to discharge their civic responsibilities without allowing themselves to be influenced by financial inducements, while expressing confidence that the ADP candidate was the best among the governorship contenders in the state.
Also speaking, Chairman of the NUJ, Oyo State Council, Akeem Abbas, advocated a violence-free electoral exercise and urged political parties to emulate peaceful campaign practices.
He maintained that elections should not be viewed as contests that produce losers, but as democratic processes involving winners and other stakeholders.
He also reiterated that the NUJ was not politically-motivated and remained committed to supporting democratic and electoral processes.
The media parley formed part of Olatunji’s engagement with journalists as he formally presented his governorship ambition ahead of the 2027 governorship election in the state.
