By Asudemade Perspective

The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Oyo State, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, has constituted a high-powered media and communications team ahead of the 2027 governorship election.

The campaign has appointed former South-West Bureau Chief of The Nation newspaper, Bisi Oladele, as Director of Media and Publicity, in a move aimed at strengthening its media presence and strategic communication ahead of the poll.

The appointments were announced in a statement issued on Thursday in Ibadan by Dare Adekanmbi, Media Consultant to Alli.

Also appointed are veteran media practitioner, Kehinde Olaosebikan, as Director of Strategic Communication, and Bolaji Tunji as Director of Public Affairs.

The immediate past Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Oyo State Council, Ademola Babalola, will serve as Deputy Director, while the Oyo State APC Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, was appointed Secretary of the media and publicity team.

Oladele, a journalist and communication strategist with more than 25 years’ experience in journalism and public relations, is expected to lead the campaign’s media and publicity operations.

Until his appointment, he was Executive Editor of Newspeak Media and Chairman of the South-West Guild of Online Publishers (SWEGOP).

He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education (English) from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, and a Master’s degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan. He is also concluding a PhD in Political Communication at Lead City University, Ibadan.

According to the statement, Oladele will work with other experienced communication professionals, including Ayotunde Olude, to drive the campaign’s media, publicity and strategic communication activities.

Olaosebikan brings extensive experience in government media relations to the team, having served as Chief Press Secretary to the late Oyo State Governor, Lam Adesina.

Similarly, Tunji served as Special Adviser to the late Governor Abiola Ajimobi on Communication and Strategy.

The campaign said the appointments were designed to enhance its media visibility, strategic communication, public engagement and overall information management ahead of the 2027 general election.

The composition of the team brings together professionals with extensive experience in journalism, government communication, public affairs and political messaging as the APC prepares to challenge for the Oyo governorship in 2027.I can also turn this into a more authoritative political news report in the style of a major Nigerian newspaper, with a headline and lead that subtly emphasise the political significance of the appointments.