The Oyo State Government has accused Mr Mutalubi Ojo Adebayo, SAN, of making incendiary commentaries, distorting facts and launching personal attacks against Governor Seyi Makinde and his administration in a bid to promote his preferred candidate ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
The government said Adebayo was free to support any candidate of his choice but had no licence to twist facts or manufacture falsehoods to justify his political choices.
The government stated this in a press release signed by the Special Adviser (Media) to the Governor, Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju, on October 18, 2026, titled, “Oyo Govt to Mr Mutalubi Ojo Adebayo: Lies Have Short Legs.”
It said: “In recent times, Mr. Mutalubi Ojo Adebayo, SAN, has turned himself into a factory of incendiary commentaries, distortions, and personal attacks against Governor Seyi Makinde and his administration all in a bid to promote his candidate.”
The government added: “We remind him of a simple truth: lies have short legs. They may stagger noisily for a moment, but they cannot outrun facts, nor can they withstand the reality of the administration’s visible achievements.”
It accused Adebayo of operating like a loose cannon in an attempt to diminish the achievements of the Makinde administration and demarket the Governor’s preferred governorship candidate.
According to the statement, his “tantrums, theatrics, and wild allegations have reduced serious governance issues to beer parlour gossip, conduct disgraceful for someone who carries the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria.”
The government further alleged that Adebayo’s attacks and exaggerated bravado were motivated by inducement rather than public interest, insisting that residents of Oyo State remained appreciative of Makinde’s work, confident in his leadership and supportive of candidates of the Allied People’s Movement (APM).
OYO GOVT DEFENDS OGBERE–AMULOKO–AKANRAN–ILAJI ROAD PROJECT
On the Ogbere–Amuloko–Akanran–Ilaji–Ogun State border road, the government described Adebayo’s comments as an example of exaggeration and condescension.
It condemned his claim that road users “have their thinking apparatuses at the soles of their feet,” describing the remark as reckless, insulting and unbecoming of a senior lawyer.
The government explained that, contrary to what it described as sensationalism, the road was part of a World Bank-supported rural access corridor governed by strict procurement rules, environmental assessments and phased implementation schedules.
It maintained that no World Bank project could be abandoned to spite an individual or undermine a private business, adding that government prioritised roads based on public interest, economic value and technical feasibility rather than the whims of political actors.
“Work on the corridor remains firmly within the state’s rural access and agricultural mobility plan, alongside numerous completed and ongoing projects across Oyo State,” the statement said.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT FUNDS, ROAD CONSTRUCTION
The government also dismissed allegations that Governor Makinde diverted local government funds or rendered the local government system “comatose,” describing the claims as deliberate falsehoods.
It said joint funding of strategic roads by the state and local governments was lawful, necessary and often the only viable way to deliver infrastructure beyond the financial capacity of individual councils.
According to the statement, local governments in Oyo State continue to function, pay salaries and execute projects, while the administration has conducted democratic local government elections to strengthen grassroots governance.
On road construction and expenditure, the government explained that its approach combined rehabilitation, reconstruction and new construction based on engineering reports and budget realities.
It said rehabilitation was deployed where full reconstruction was not immediately necessary or cost-effective, adding that project costs followed due process, procurement laws, competitive bidding and oversight.
The government consequently described claims that roads were executed without regard to cost or standards as baseless.
MAKINDE GOVT DEFENDS EDUCATION SECTOR
On education, the government said Adebayo’s comments disregarded what it described as measurable improvements under the Makinde administration, including better WAEC performance, increased enrolment and sustained investment in infrastructure and teachers’ welfare.
It explained that the School Governing Board model had not been discarded but integrated into a broader reform framework.
The statement also maintained that the resignation of any individual did not imply wrongdoing and that the Education Trust Fund continued to operate under due process.
It further stated that the Makinde administration had employed more teachers than any previous administration in the state.
The government also highlighted the resolution of longstanding issues at Ladoke Akintola University, saying previous administrations had failed to address them.
“It is also on record that the Makinde administration resolved longstanding issues at Ladoke Akintola University that previous administrations failed to address, a fact Mr. Adebayo pretends not to know,” the statement added.
GOVT REJECTS CLAIMS ABOUT STATE HOSPITALS
The government rejected Adebayo’s description of Oyo State’s hospitals as “pigsty,” describing it as inaccurate and disrespectful to health workers.
It said the administration had renovated and upgraded several health facilities, improved equipment and strengthened the Oyo State Health Insurance Agency.
The statement added that allegations of pilfering or misuse of funds required evidence rather than political theatre, stressing that Primary Health Care projects followed procurement laws.
SECURITY: GOVT DEFENDS AMOTEKUN, SURVEILLANCE AIRCRAFT
On security, the government accused Adebayo of deliberately ignoring what it described as significant progress under Governor Makinde.
It said the administration had strengthened the Western Nigeria Security Network, Amotekun, improved logistics for federal security agencies and repositioned the Security Trust Fund.
The government also claimed that Oyo State remained safer than many other states.
On the procurement of a surveillance aircraft, the statement said the process followed security protocols and Executive Council approvals.
It dismissed claims that advisers were “in the dark” about the procurement as speculative and unserious.
CIRCULAR ROAD PROJECT: OYO GOVT EXPLAINS CONTRACT REVIEW
The government also accused Adebayo of misrepresenting the facts surrounding the Circular Road project.
It explained that the contract was reviewed because of contractual and technical concerns, arguing that government had a responsibility to renegotiate or terminate contracts that did not serve the public interest.
The statement questioned the effectiveness of the approach adopted by the administration of former Governor Abiola Ajimobi, asking why the project had stalled if the previous administration’s approach was effective.
It added that no responsible government would indulge a concessionaire that was not delivering on agreed terms.
OPERATION LIGHT UP OYO, LEKAN SALAMI STADIUM
The government described suggestions that Governor Makinde had “stole” ideas or “carted away” solar lights under Operation Light Up Oyo as laughable.
It explained that energy choices, whether solar or diesel, were based on cost, maintenance and technical feasibility.
According to the statement, the administration’s priority was public safety and mobility, an objective it said had been achieved.
On the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, the government said the facility had been rehabilitated to modern standards, enabling it to host several international matches.
It added that regulatory assessments were routine.
MAKINDE WELCOMES CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM — OYO GOVT
The government maintained that Governor Makinde welcomed constructive, fact-based scrutiny but would not accept what it described as attempts to rewrite history through exaggerations, vendettas and unsubstantiated allegations.
It said residents of Oyo State were discerning and could see the roads built and still being built, schools revitalised, hospitals upgraded, security architecture strengthened and governance reforms improving daily life.
“In the fullness of time, tangible results, not incendiary essays or politically motivated outbursts, will speak for the administration,” the statement concluded.
