Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo, has said that he has nothing to fear about life as he had contested and lost thrice before winning at the fourth attempt.
Makinde, OYOINSIGHT.COM understands, lost the 2007 Oyo South senatorial election on the platform of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, to Kamorudeen Adedibu of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP; lost the PDP primaries in 2011 to Adedibu again. In 2015, under the Social Democratic Party, SDP, he came 5th in an election won by late Abiola Ajimobi of the All Progressives Congress, APC. Rashidi Ladoja of Accord, Adebayo Alao-Akala of Labour Party, and Teslim Folarin of PDP (now of APC), came second, third and fourth respectively.’
Speaking at a pan Yoruba congress held on Wednesday in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital, the governor said that the south-west should focus on getting justice for victims of criminal activities, instead of the 2023 presidential election — for now.
Makinde, who called for cooperation to address insecurity, said he will always take decisions that will be in the interest of the people.
“Before I became governor, I contested three times. What then will be my fear? Why will I not do the right thing? I make bold to say that I am not encumbered in any way. I have no political godfather except God the father. God brought me to the position, so I am not afraid of anyone no matter how powerful that person is,” the governor said.
“I stand on my honour that I will take decisions in the best interest of my people. Some people are talking about 2023. That presidency should come to the west, but that is not the issue for now. The issue we should face now is how people should get justice.
“Where it is needless to shed blood, we should avoid it. Wisdom is more than using powers. Let us approach the issue with good wisdom to avoid collateral damage. As I stand before you, if I am no longer a governor, I will go back home. I am not bothered about the position, but about the welfare development and progress of Oyo state and Yorubaland.”
The governor also highlighted steps he has taken to combat insecurity in the state, adding that the government will recruit non-state actors in its voluntary community policing effort.
“In the last security meeting we had, I created a war room and I set up a task force on security which I chair. One of the decisions we took is to incorporate non-state actors. We have created Amotekun,. We will include more people in voluntary community policing. Security is now the job of all and not that of government or security agencies alone,” Makinde said.
