The campaign organisation of the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in Oyo State, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, has explained the circumstances surrounding a viral video showing a Polytechnic, Ibadan student sitting on the politician’s lap.

The campaign said the student and other members of the institution’s Department of Banking and Finance had visited Alli at his campaign office in Mokola, Ibadan, to invite him to their programme and conduct an interview.

According to a statement issued by the campaign on Wednesday, the students arrived when there were not enough seats for everyone. It said Alli asked one of the students to sit on his lap so the interview could continue.

The video, which circulated widely on social media, has generated reactions over the interaction. In the footage, Alli is also seen briefly touching the student’s lap, prompting some users to interpret the incident as inappropriate.

The campaign rejected those interpretations, accusing some online platforms of attempting to sexualise what it described as an ordinary interaction.

“The number of people present exceeded the available seating capacity, leaving insufficient chairs for everyone,” the campaign said.

It described Alli’s action as “a spontaneous and fatherly gesture” and maintained that there was no inappropriate intention behind it.

The campaign also urged media organisations and social media users to report the incident responsibly, warning against what it called sensationalism and politically motivated narratives.

It said the 2027 Oyo governorship election should instead focus on issues including competence, development and the welfare of residents.