The Oyo State Government has approved a budget of N4.278bn to conduct chairmanship and councillorship elections across the state’s 33 local government areas. According to Punch, the elections are scheduled to take place on December 29, 2026. The state’s Executive Council authorized the release of funds to the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission to begin preparations for the polls. Prince Dotun Oyelade, the Commissioner for Information, disclosed the financial breakdown in a statement issued on Tuesday following the council meeting.
Oyelade explained that the local government councils will bear 60 per cent of the election costs, amounting to approximately N2.567bn. The state government will contribute the remaining 40 per cent, which totals roughly N1.711bn. This funding structure is intended to ensure that the electoral process is adequately resourced for all 33 local government areas. The approval allows the electoral commission to commence immediate preparations for the December voting schedule.
In addition to the election budget, the council approved N437.4 million for the accreditation of the Nursing Programme at Abiola Ajimobi Technical University. Oyelade noted that this investment supports the university’s effort to diversify beyond science and technology and achieve financial self-sustainability. He warned that meeting the professional accreditation deadline is critical to protecting the more than N3bn already spent on equipment for the programme. The university is currently at the final stage of this accreditation process.
The council also allocated N6.744bn as the state’s counterpart funding for the Oyo Annex of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology. Oyo East Local Government Area will provide the matching 50 per cent, bringing the total project cost to N13.489bn. Oyelade justified this expenditure by stating that about 70 per cent of patients at the university’s teaching hospital in Ogbomoso are from Oyo and its surrounding areas. The Executive Council also commended Governor Seyi Makinde for his cooperation with the local government councils during the budgeting process.