The campaign team of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Oyo State, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, has dismissed the viral video showing a Polytechnic Ibadan student sitting on his lap during a visit to his campaign office in Mokola, Ibadan.

The Backstory & What Triggered the Controversy

A short video clip surfaced online showing a student from the Department of Banking and Finance at The Polytechnic, Ibadan, sitting on the politician’s lap while being interviewed. The footage triggered massive reactions across social media platforms, with critics questioning the propriety of the gesture and accusing the candidate of acting inappropriately.

Why the Student Sat on His Lap — Official APC Explanation

According to an official statement issued by Senator Sharafadeen Alli’s campaign organisation, the incident was completely innocent and taken out of context by political detractors.

• Lack of Seating Space: The delegation of students who visited the office to seek support for their department program and conduct an interview exceeded the available chairs in the room.
• Spontaneous Gesture: To ensure the engagement and interview could continue without delay, Senator Alli asked one of the students to sit on his lap in what the team described as a “spontaneous and fatherly gesture”.
• Rejection of Political Blackmail: The campaign team strongly condemned attempts by critics and online platforms to “sexualise” the interaction, calling it a desperate smear tactic aimed at damaging his reputation ahead of the election.

The campaign organization urged the media and the public to disregard the distorted clip, emphasizing that Senator Alli has always maintained a warm, mentor-like relationship with young people and students across Oyo Stat