The Senior Special Assistant to Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke on Renewable Energy, Mr Funmiso Babarinde, has expressed confidence that Governor Adeleke’s performance in office, rather than opposition propaganda, will determine the outcome of the August 15 governorship election in the state.
Babarinde stated this while featuring on Issues that Matter, a current affairs programme on City Mirror TV on Tuesday, where he highlighted what he described as the administration’s achievements across key sectors, including infrastructure, education, healthcare, agriculture and workers’ welfare.
He argued that the electorate would ultimately judge the governor based on the visible impact of his administration’s policies and projects rather than campaign narratives advanced by political opponents.
According to him, governance should be assessed through measurable accomplishments that directly improve the lives of citizens.
“People vote based on what they can see and what they can feel. That is what good governance is all about. This government is about the people, and that is why Osun people are clamouring for Governor Ademola Adeleke to return,” he said.
Babarinde dismissed criticisms of the administration by opposition parties, describing many of the allegations as politically motivated and typical of electioneering campaigns.
He maintained that the government’s projects were visible across the state and could be independently verified by members of the public.
Speaking on infrastructure, the governor’s aide said the administration had made significant progress in addressing the state’s infrastructure deficit through the construction and rehabilitation of roads, bridges and dual carriageways.
He cited projects in Osogbo, Ede, Ile-Ife, Iwo, Ilesa, Ila-Orangun and other communities, noting that several areas that had waited for years for road development were now benefiting from improved access and connectivity.
Among the projects he highlighted were the ongoing Iwo Dual Carriageway, the Lagere Flyover in Ile-Ife, the Lameco Bridge in Osogbo and roads linking farming communities, which he said had improved transportation and stimulated economic activities.
Responding to criticisms over the quality of some projects, Babarinde insisted that such assessments should be left to professionals.
“It is only engineers who have the competence to assess whether a road or bridge meets engineering standards. Political propaganda cannot replace professional assessment,” he stated.
On education, Babarinde, who also serves as Chairman of the Committee on Civil Society Matters of the Imole Campaign Council 2026, said the Adeleke administration had demonstrated commitment to strengthening the sector through increased funding, recruitment of teachers and expansion of educational infrastructure.
He acknowledged that the University of Ilesa was initiated by the immediate past administration but said Governor Adeleke ensured its full take-off and continued development.
Addressing concerns over tuition fees at the institution, he explained that programmes such as Medicine, Nursing and Law naturally attract higher fees because of their accreditation requirements and operational costs in universities across the country.
He added that the university had successfully secured accreditation for several programmes, including its MBBS programme, which he said reflected the government’s investment in tertiary education.
Babarinde also referenced the recent recruitment of about 1,700 teachers, describing it as a major intervention aimed at improving learning outcomes in public schools.
He, however, acknowledged that the recruitment process experienced delays, attributing the development to the prolonged local government crisis, which he said affected government finances.
On the suspension of the state’s free school feeding programme, he said the decision resulted from financial constraints following the withdrawal of federal support and funding challenges arising from the local government crisis.
Despite this, he maintained that pupils in public schools had continued to excel in national and international academic competitions, while the Osun State Universal Basic Education Board had undertaken the rehabilitation of schools through the provision of classrooms, furniture, toilets, perimeter fencing and other facilities.
Babarinde also defended the administration’s record in the health sector, saying more than 200 primary healthcare centres had been rehabilitated and equipped with solar power systems, potable water, vaccine storage facilities, hospital beds and essential medicines.
He added that traditional rulers, senior citizens, retirees and inmates of correctional facilities had also been enrolled under the Osun Health Insurance Scheme.
According to him, the state’s healthcare reforms earned Osun two consecutive health grants of $500,000 after meeting standards set by international development partners.
“These are verifiable facts. If we had not done the right things, the state would not have qualified for those grants,” he said.
On agriculture, Babarinde said the administration had revitalised mechanised farming by procuring tractors and making them available to farmers at subsidised rates.
He alleged that tractors previously owned by the state were disposed of by the immediate past administration, adding that the current government had restored support for mechanised agriculture.
Speaking on workers’ welfare, he said Governor Adeleke had sustained regular salary payments, cleared a substantial portion of inherited salary arrears and introduced cooperative funding schemes to support traders and market women.
According to him, the initiative had reduced dependence on informal lenders charging high interest rates while improving access to affordable credit.
Comparing the Adeleke administration with that of former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, Babarinde acknowledged that the former governor executed projects during his tenure but argued that the current administration had achieved more within a shorter period.
“I’m not saying the previous government did nothing. Governor Oyetola did what he could with the resources available to him. But Governor Adeleke has done a lot within less than four years, and the people can see the difference,” he said.
Babarinde also condemned recent incidents of political violence reported in parts of Osun State and urged political parties and their supporters to conduct peaceful campaigns ahead of the governorship election.
He called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure a free, fair and credible poll through the timely deployment of electoral materials and functional Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines.
He further appealed to security agencies to remain impartial and provide adequate protection for voters before, during and after the election.
Urging residents to participate peacefully in the poll, Babarinde said the governorship election should be decided by the will of the electorate rather than violence or intimidation.
“People should come out with their Permanent Voter Cards, vote peacefully and allow their votes to count. Democracy thrives when the people’s mandate is respected,” he added.
