Oyo Sets Aside ₦4.28bn for December 29 Local Government Elections

The Oyo State Government and the state’s 33 local government councils have approved a combined ₦4.278 billion to fund chairmanship and councillorship elections scheduled for December 29, 2026. The state Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade, disclosed the figure in a statement on Tuesday following a meeting of the State Executive Council. According to Oyelade, the council approved the state government’s counterpart contribution to the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC) to enable preparations for the elections to begin. Under the approved funding arrangement, the local government councils will contribute 60 per cent of the total expenditure, while the state government will provide the remaining 40 per cent. The councils’ share amounts to approximately ₦2.567 billion, while the state government’s contribution is about ₦1.711 billion. The elections are expected to take place across all 33 local government areas of Oyo State, where voters will elect their respective council chairmen and councillors. OYSIEC has been preparing for the exercise, with earlier reports indicating that the commission moved the election date from January 2027 to December 29, 2026, following the release of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s timetable for the 2027 general elections. In a separate decision, the State Executive Council approved ₦437.45 million to meet accreditation requirements for the nursing programme at Abiola Ajimobi Technical University. Oyelade said the funding would support the institution’s efforts to expand beyond its traditional science and technology focus and improve its capacity for financial sustainability. He added that the university was approaching the final stage of the accreditation process, warning that missing the relevant professional accreditation deadline could put the investment in the programme at risk. The commissioner also disclosed that the state government had already spent more than ₦3 billion on equipment for the nursing programme. Another major approval concerned the proposed Oyo Annex of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH). The council approved ₦6.744 billion as the state government’s 50 per cent counterpart funding for the construction, renovation and equipping of the facility. Oyo East Local Government Area is expected to provide the other half, bringing the total project funding to approximately ₦13.489 billion. Explaining the rationale for the investment, Oyelade said about 70 per cent of patients receiving services at LAUTECH Teaching Hospital in Ogbomoso come from Oyo and surrounding communities. The approved funding is intended to support the development of the annex and expand access to healthcare services in the area. The council also commended Governor Seyi Makinde for his development initiatives and cooperation with the state’s 33 local government councils, according to the commissioner. With the December election date approaching, the approved allocation provides the funding framework for OYSIEC to continue preparations for the polls. The commission will oversee the conduct of the chairmanship and councillorship elections across the state’s local government areas.