Former Deputy Governor of the State of the Living Spring, Osun, and governorship aspirant under the All Progressives Congress (APC), Benedict Olugboyega Alabi, has reaffirmed his confidence that the party remains the most credible platform to deliver good governance in the state.
Alabi, who served with former Governor Gboyega Oyetola, said the APC is committed to service and believes it can offer the best leadership for the people of Osun.
He said, “APC is not desperate to rule. APC wants to rule because we believe that we will do better. So, it is about service. What we are saying is that we want to serve our people, and our intention is to serve the people and not individuals.”
The former deputy governor, who hails from Osun West Senatorial District, stated that his desire to lead the state stems from a long-standing commitment to public service and a belief that governance should always prioritise the people.
Reflecting on his time in office, Alabi dismissed claims that the education reforms introduced under Oyetola’s administration were politically motivated, saying the review was undertaken to strengthen the system.
“After making a policy, you re-examine and reappraise it. And if you see that it is not in tune with the time, what do you do? What we did was to strengthen the educational system in Osun State,” he said.
He explained that the review of the 3-3-4 education structure and the restoration of school names and uniforms were collective decisions based on public input. “It is not targeted to any individual. If it is targeted towards an individual, I would not be involved,” he said.
Alabi described his working relationship with Oyetola as cordial, noting that both shared similar professional backgrounds and goals for the state. “It was good. Oyetola is a technocrat. I am also a technocrat in my own way. We have a similar background. I also know that his intention is to grow Osun State,” he said.
He added that as deputy governor, he performed his statutory duties diligently and often represented the governor at official functions. “When he travelled, I had acted on his capacity as a substantiate to the governor,” he said.
On the limited constitutional role of deputy governors in Nigeria, Alabi called for a wider scope of responsibilities but said a proactive deputy could still make a meaningful impact. “It might not be the best because we need to enlarge the scope of the Deputy Governor in terms of statutory responsibilities,” he noted.
He explained that he took initiative across sectors to serve the people effectively. “When I saw the lapses in agriculture, I called all stakeholders in the agriculture sector–the banks, farmers and machine equipment owners. I said, let’s have a meeting on how to ensure that our people have food security,” he recalled.
Alabi said he worked tirelessly throughout his tenure, adding, “When I was Deputy Governor, I was losing weight because of the workload. It was a 24/7 work done even at night.”
With the 2026 governorship election approaching, Alabi reaffirmed his faith in the APC and his readiness to continue serving Osun through the same platform he believes best represents responsible governance.
