There is a dangerous difference between scrutinising a politician and scandalising a human being. Unfortunately, as the political temperature rises ahead of the Oyo State governorship election, that distinction appears to be disappearing. Senator Sharafadeen Alli has suddenly found himself at the centre of an intense controversy. A viral video showing a student sitting on his lap during an interaction with students of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, sparked the storm.
From that brief scene, an entire industry of insinuation has emerged. Sexual meanings have been manufactured, motives have been imputed, and character conclusions have been drawn. Social media has done what it increasingly does best: take a moment, detach it from its circumstances, attach the most sensational interpretation possible, and invite the public to pronounce judgment. But where exactly is the evidence of wrongdoing?
I have watched this controversy with considerable concern because I know Senator Sharafadeen Alli. I say this without equivocation: the man I know is decent, accessible, and respectful.
The Weaponisation of Optics Against Sharafadeen Alli
I know how he relates with people. I know his regard for journalists and journalism. I know his respect for people irrespective of status. He is courteous and remarkably accommodating. That does not make him infallible. Neither does my knowledge of him mean that his actions should be immune from criticism. Anyone aspiring to govern Oyo State must expect scrutiny, perhaps even more intense scrutiny than the ordinary citizen. But scrutiny must still be anchored on facts.
Let us confront the video rather than run away from it. Could someone argue that allowing an adult student to sit on the lap of a candidate during an interview was unnecessary? Certainly. Could political handlers have avoided such an image? Absolutely. Public figures must constantly remember that the camera has no sense of humour, affection, spontaneity, or context. It captures a fraction of a second and leaves interpretation to millions of people who were not present.
However, there is an enormous intellectual distance between saying, “Senator, that was politically unwise,” and declaring, “This proves something sexually improper about Senator Alli.” The first is valid criticism. The second requires concrete evidence, and that evidence has not been presented.
According to the explanation from Senator Alli’s campaign, the students had visited him to seek support for their programme and conduct an interview. The number of people present exceeded the available seats, and the student sitting on his lap arose from that circumstance. People may accept or question that explanation, but anyone alleging something more sinister carries the responsibility of producing proof. We cannot build a decent society upon innuendo.
Must Ordinary Human Interactions Be Sexualised?
Something else troubles me deeply about this episode. What exactly has happened to our interpretation of ordinary human relationships? Must every touch have a sexual meaning? Must affection between two men automatically acquire a sexual interpretation? Must a politician cease being human simply because the 2027 election approaches?
African society historically accommodated physical expressions of friendship, fraternity, respect, and affection without immediately attaching sexuality to them. It is therefore dangerous when social media begins imposing sexual interpretations upon every unconventional physical interaction. When that interpretation is deployed principally because the person involved is a political opponent, we have crossed from political criticism into something uglier.
Character Assassination in the Oyo State Governorship Election
Senator Sharafadeen Alli is not merely another politician in Oyo State today. He is the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress and therefore a major contender for the 2027 election. That naturally makes him a target of political scrutiny.
His ideas should be interrogated. His legislative record should be examined. His promises should be challenged. His competence should be debated. His vision for Oyo State should be placed beside those of his opponents and subjected to rigorous examination. That is democracy. But rummaging through photographs and videos looking for moments capable of being distorted is something different. That is not an interrogation of governance; it is character assassination.
If Senator Sharafadeen Alli wants to govern Oyo State, ask him difficult questions. Ask him what he will do differently. Ask him about education, agriculture, tourism, healthcare, local government administration, and infrastructure. Ask him how he intends to create employment and expand the economy. Ask him to account for his years in public service. Those are questions worthy of a governorship election. If he fails those tests, reject him at the ballot box. But do not manufacture a sexual scandal where evidence of one has not been established. That is neither politics nor journalism.
Responsible Journalism Versus Social Media Gossip
I am particularly concerned about the responsibility of journalists and media organisations. Having spent a substantial part of my life in journalism, one principle remains sacred to me: a person’s reputation is a fact that journalism must handle responsibly.
The fact that something goes viral does not automatically make it newsworthy in the form social media presents it. The journalist must ask crucial questions: What happened before this clip? What happened afterwards? Who recorded it? Who was the student? What was the purpose of the visit? Is there a longer recording? What does the person allegedly affected say happened? These questions separate journalism from gossip. We must be careful that political actors do not convert journalists into distributors of weaponised insinuations.
There is also a simple way to remove much of the mystery surrounding this controversy. The young man in the video is alive. He has a voice. If he considers it appropriate, let him tell Nigerians what happened. If he felt violated, intimidated, or sexually harassed, let him say so. If nothing of that nature occurred, his dignity should equally be respected rather than having strangers construct a sexual narrative around him. Ironically, those claiming to protect the student may themselves be violating his dignity by publicly sexualising an encounter he may never have regarded as sexual.
The Dangers of Political Weaponisation and Insinuation
This latest episode should also be considered against a broader political environment in which grave allegations have previously circulated around Senator Sharafadeen Alli. Earlier this year, reports attempted to connect him with the kidnapping of the sister of former Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu and her children. It was an extraordinarily serious allegation.
Senator Alli denied it emphatically. Subsequent reports concerning the police investigation indicated that investigators found no connection between him and the kidnapping. That should teach all of us something. Political allegations travel at the speed of light, while exoneration usually travels on foot. By the time the truth catches up, reputations may already have been battered. That is why society must resist the temptation to convict people through hashtags, edited videos, and insinuations.
I return to where I started. I know Sharafadeen Alli. I have interacted with him sufficiently to form an impression of his disposition towards people and institutions. I particularly know his respect for journalists and journalism. He understands engagement, he listens, and he accords people dignity. The man I know is decent, accessible, and respectful.
Let Oyo Decide on Clear Political Issues
My defence of him here is actually bigger than one individual. Today it is Alli; tomorrow it could be anybody. Once we establish a political culture where an ambiguous photograph or a few seconds of video can be converted into allegations capable of destroying a lifetime’s reputation, none of us is safe.
The coming Oyo State governorship election deserves better. Oyo is too sophisticated, Ibadan is too intellectually endowed, and our political history is too rich. Let those who oppose Senator Sharafadeen Alli defeat him with superior arguments. Let them expose weaknesses in his programmes, interrogate his record, and present a better candidate and a better vision. But let nobody substitute character assassination for political competition.
Senator Alli himself should also learn from this episode. In contemporary politics, innocence of intention is not enough; public perception matters. A person seeking the highest political office in Oyo State must be extraordinarily conscious of optics because opponents are waiting for precisely such moments. So, yes, Senator: be more careful.
To those converting an awkward human moment into something sordid without evidence, stop it. Politics should contest ideas, records, and visions — not manufacture sexuality from body language. Criticise Sharafadeen Alli where criticism is deserved. Question him relentlessly and hold him accountable, but do not scandalise him merely because there is an election to win. Political opposition is legitimate, but character assassination is not.
Stop the bad propaganda against Senator Sharafadeen Alli. Drop the bad card. Senator Sharafadeen Alli is a decent man. I know him, and I vouch for his decency.
