The campaign organisation of Senator Sharafadeen Alli, the Oyo State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, has addressed a viral video showing a male student of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, sitting on his lap. The video, widely shared on social media on Wednesday, September 2, sparked mixed reactions as it depicted the candidate with the student on his lap while briefly patting the individual's leg.
Campaign Team Clarifies the Incident
In a formal statement, the campaign organisation explained that a delegation of students from the institution's Department of Banking and Finance had visited Alli at his Mokola campaign office in Ibadan. The purpose of the visit was to interview him and extend an invitation to an upcoming departmental programme. According to the campaign team, the office was crowded upon the students' arrival, leaving insufficient seating for everyone. To ensure the interview could proceed without delay, Senator Alli reportedly asked one of the students to sit on his lap.
The organisation described the candidate's action as a "spontaneous and fatherly gesture," strongly maintaining that there was no inappropriate undertone or intention behind the act. The statement read: "It is deeply unfortunate that political desperation has descended to this level, where an ordinary interaction between a fatherly political leader and students who came to seek support for their programme is deliberately twisted into something sordid. Those who know Senator Sharafadeen Alli understand his disposition towards young people and his fatherly relationship with them. There is no basis whatsoever for the offensive insinuations being attached to this video."
Reaction to the Viral Video
The video, which circulated widely on social media, drew mixed reactions from the public, with some criticising the interaction while others defended the candidate. The campaign team subsequently urged members of the public to disregard the video's online narratives, characterising the backlash as "cheap political blackmail" aimed at misleading the electorate.
The clarification comes as the Oyo State governorship race heats up ahead of the elections. Senator Alli, a prominent APC figure, has been engaging with various groups, including students, as part of his campaign outreach. The campaign organisation emphasised that the candidate's relationship with young people is rooted in a fatherly approach, and the incident should not be misconstrued.
Impact on the Governorship Race
This incident has added a new dimension to the political discourse in Oyo State, with supporters and opponents of the APC candidate weighing in on the matter. The campaign organisation's statement aims to put the controversy to rest, but the video continues to generate discussion across social media platforms.
As the election approaches, the campaign team remains focused on its outreach efforts, urging the public to focus on substantive issues rather than what it describes as distractions. The organisation has called on voters to reject what it terms "cheap political blackmail" and to assess candidates based on their track records and plans for the state.
