The Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, said Nigeria should be more concerned about security, restructuring and not the Yoruba presidency or who occupies the number one office in 2023.
Makinde stated this on Tuesday as supporters of APC leader Senator Bola Tinubu inaugurated the presidential campaign movement tagged, “The South-West Agenda” in Ibadan, Oyo State capital.
Although Makinde never mentioned Tinubu in his statement, many political commentators believe the comments were targeted at Tinubu, whose loyalists have been hosting meetings in readiness for the 2023 presidency.
Chief Press Secretary, Taiwo Adisa, quoted Makinde to have spoken in Ibadan at the handover of 33 operational vehicles and 396 motorcycles to the Oyo State Security Agency, popularly known as Operation Amotekun.
Makinde said, “I have heard some of our political leaders jostling around and saying they want to become the president of Nigeria in 2023.
“I think what we need at this stage is to secure our people and restructure Nigeria. It does not matter who is the president in Abuja.
“In a restructured Nigeria, every corner of the country will feel the impact of government. That is what we need.
“May God protect those running around for presidency till 2022. By that time, we will meet and, by then, we will get to know whether it is restructured Nigeria or Yoruba presidency that we really need.”
At the event, Makinde handed over 25 vehicles to the police and Operation Burst to combat insecurity in the state.
Makinde lauded Amotekun, saying the impact of the security agency was being felt all over the state.
“If we cannot get state police now, this country will get there. We have community policing, but we need to do better than that. But, in the absence of the state police, we have our own Amotekun Corps and the operatives are doing very well, “ he added.
The Commandant of the Amotekn Corps, Col. Olayinka Olayanju (retd), said the corps would do everything possible “to stem the tide of rising security challenges, particularly during this festive period.”
