By Peter Ayoade
A chieftain of Alliance for Democracy (AD) in Oyo state, Engineer Oyedele Hakeem Alao has charged Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state not to turn deaf ears to the advice and suggestions of prominent citizens in addressing killings, kidnapping and attack of innocent citizens in the state.
It should be noted that Oyo State in the last few weeks has witnessed series of security breaches which have led to the death of prominent citizens among whom are Dr. Fatai Aborode, Mrs. Sherifat Adisa, owner of a petroleum station in Idere, Mr. Agboola who was abducted and later killed by his abductors, abduction of Dr. Akindele and the Saturday’s killing of an Ibadan socialite, Mr. Teslim Akinpelu.
Pacesetternews recalls that prominent citizens among whom are a former Governor of the state, Chief Christopher Adebayo Alao-Akala have advised Makinde to convene a council of State meeting, so as to address security situation in the state.
Alao who contested on the platform of AD in the 2019 gubernatorial election, advised Makinde to listen to the leaders of thoughts across all shades of opinion (s), before it is too late.
In a statement made available by Alao to journalists on Monday through his Media Aide, Omotayo Iyanda, urged Makinde to desist from running a close-ended kind of government where he always thinks he and his clique have the best ideas.
The AD chieftain while speaking further charged Makinde not to blame Mr. Sunday Adeyemo popularly known as Sunday Igboho over what happened in Igangan.
Alao urged Makinde to listen to voices of reasoning as insecurity in Oyo State has reached a boiling point.
Alao said that it will be very helpful if Makinde is truthful, open, transparent and carry relevant people along in running the affairs of the state instead of running a one-man show administration.
The statement reads:
“According to some militant leaders in the state, the composition of Amotekun has been wrong from the outset and that has impacted negatively on the present state of security in the state.
“If the recruitment into Amotekun has not sidelined our local warlords among the hunters association, OPC, VGN, etc. individualistic “liberation” struggle as displayed recently by Mr Sunday Adeyemo a.k.a Sunday Igboho in Igangan would not have occurred, which informs that he should be blamed less for his action. Our governor did not take any serious actions on the crimes of gruesome killing, kidnapping, raping, among others, going on in Ibarapa land until Sunday Igboho stormed the place, only for the governor to wake from his slumber and made a hasty broadcast that is capable of worsening the situation. What kind of an administration is that?
“It is Engr Makinde that should desist from running a close-ended kind of government where he always thinks he and his clique have the best ideas. He should listen to the leaders of thoughts across all shades of opinion(s), particularly those of local security and militant groups as Comrade Adesina Akinpelu, Sunday Igboho, Baba Olororo in Ona-Ara, among others, judging from the near total lack of competence and experience of the governor in public service understanding. His Excellency, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, former Governor of Oyo State, has said it all that Governor Makinde needs help, particularly in the area of maintenance of law and order, urging him to call the Council of State meeting comprising all former governors and other stakeholders, which he has not convened since he became the governor of the state.
“Your Excellency, be truthful, open, transparent and carry relevant people along properly in the affairs of Oyo State. This is not the time to feel that “It’s our government.” That line of thought is crude and counter-productive.
“Since the beginning of the administration, we have been playing our role as a constructive opposition but it is a pity that most of those things we have called the attention of the Engr Makinde government to have been ignored, rather his garrulous, ignorant and arrogant aides and party men would often and quickly term such calls as enemies’ attempt to discredit the government of the day. That is most unfortunate and undoing of a government which we thought had assembled men who have seen it all, but their petty attitude and abysmal performance in governance has proved us wrong.
“Against this background, we remind Governor MákindĂ© to tell the people of Oyo State what he has done or steps taken to address the issues we have raised so far which include but not limited to the killing of Dr Fatai Aborede, Mrs Serifat Adisa, Alhaji Fatai Yusuf Oko Oloyun, Alhaji Babatunde Ore, Modupe Oyetoso’s fiancĂ© (at Lanlate in August 2020), Barakat Bello; the issue of Omo Onile ravaging Ibadan residents in remote areas; allegation of inflation of cost of vehicles and contracts; excessive loans and bonds; alleged shortchanging of the genuine applicants for the Oyo State post Covid-19 Stimulus MSME loans for which they paid application fee of N3,000 each; Oyo local government crisis; deceit in government; illegal sales of water pipes; reckless spending of Oyo State’s money for political activities; among others.
“More than 20 press releases were issued by OHA Campaign Organisation in 2020 alone calling the attention of the Engr Makinde-led government to how to deliver better governance but the arrogance, pettiness and incompetence of the team have blinded them to see anything good in whatever any opposition in the state talks about.
“When a sitting governor sees himself and his incompetent team as all-in-all and maintains a hardliner posture jettisoning all voices of reasoning, it is then we will have at hand the kind of present situation of security in Oyo State, a state almost leading to insurrection where there is a legitimate duly elected government. Street urchins and hoodlums have taken over Oyo State, Ibadan in particular. Nothing can make this happen than the incompetence of the government of the day.
“It is high time Mr. Governor came down from his high Olympus and listened to the voices of reasoning and stop playing politics with every serious issue. Mr Governor, sir, enough of this gallivanting!”
