The Executive Governor of Oyo State, Engr Seyi Makinde on Tuesday has taunted the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), saying what the country needa at the critical time is security and restructuring and not a Yoruba presidency.
This statement comes up hours after some politicians came to Ibadan, the capital of Oyo state to launch the presidential ambition of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
Makinde said those politicians would soon know better.
In a statement released by the Chief Press Secretary to Oyo State Governor, Taiwo Adisa, Makinde was quoted 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.
Recall that the Oyo state governor, Makinde had earlier given 25 vehicles to the police and Operation Burst to combat insecurity in the state.
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.”
Eventhough Governor Makinde did not mention Bola Ahmed Tinubu but the former Lagos governor has been moving around and travelling to some parts of the country while his foot soldiers have been going round to solicit support for his presidential ambition.
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 Amotekun 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.”