Governorship aspirant under the banner of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, Omooba Dotun Babayemi, has expressed grave concern over what he described as the deplorable state of infrastructure and systemic neglect of rural communities across the state.
Babayemi, who is currently on a grassroots consultation tour, lamented the appalling condition of roads and lack of basic amenities in remote areas — a reality he said he witnessed firsthand during his ward-to-ward engagements in Osi/Ara Joshua and Kere/Olomu Oja in Ife South Local Government Area.
Sharing his experience, Babayemi disclosed that a journey which should have taken no more than an hour stretched into a harrowing 10-hour ordeal due to the terrible state of the roads, resulting in the breakdown of three vehicles in his convoy.
“This is nothing short of despicable,” Babayemi declared. “Most of our rural communities have been completely abandoned — with no motorable roads, no potable water, no electricity, and no telecommunications network. The level of neglect is heart-wrenching.”
Babayemi stressed that his ongoing ward tours, which follow a month-long consultative engagement across Osun’s 30 local government areas, have laid bare the dire plight of rural dwellers.
“This grassroots tour has been an eye-opener. Our people are suffering in silence. If given the mandate in 2026, I will make rural development a cornerstone of my administration,” he assured.
The APC hopeful pledged that, if elected, his government would embark on aggressive infrastructural development in rural communities — improving roads, expanding access to essential services, and enhancing agricultural value chains to stabilise food prices.
“Those living in rural areas are as deserving of decent living conditions as anyone in the urban centres,” Babayemi asserted. “We must open up our rural communities to opportunities for growth and prosperity.”
He also urged APC members in the area to intensify grassroots mobilisation and maintain regular meetings to boost the party’s visibility and electoral strength ahead of the 2026 governorship election.
With his message of inclusive governance and rural revitalisation, Babayemi positions himself as a contender keen on bridging the urban-rural development gap in Osun State.
