The Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has criticised Governor Seyi Makinde over recent remarks concerning insecurity in the state, accusing him of shirking responsibility and failing to provide effective leadership.
In a statement issued on Sunday by the party’s Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, the APC rejected the governor’s assertion that his administration faces limitations in addressing security challenges because security agencies are under the control of the Federal Government.
The opposition party described the governor’s comments as an attempt to evade accountability amid growing concerns over security incidents in parts of the state, including recent kidnappings in Oriire Local Government Area.
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The APC further argued that the governor, having sworn to uphold the Constitution and protect lives and property, should not attribute security challenges solely to the structure of Nigeria’s security architecture.
According to the party, Makinde’s remarks reflected what it called a failure of leadership and an inability to effectively manage the state’s security concerns.
The statement read: “Parochial leaders like Makinde pose a grave danger to the growth and development of the Nigerian society, and it is important for the electorate to avoid them in future elections.”
The criticism follows comments reportedly made by the governor during his acceptance speech as the presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), where he suggested that he lacked full control over security agencies despite ongoing efforts to tackle insecurity.
Makinde had earlier renewed his advocacy for the establishment of state police, arguing that decentralised policing would strengthen the ability of state governments to respond more effectively to security threats.
However, the APC maintained that previous administrations in Oyo State operated under the same constitutional framework without facing similar security challenges.
The party stated: “Makinde could not find any fault in the nation’s Constitution as he gleefully sworn on it twice to protect the lives and properties of the people of the state. He has been using the mightiness of his office to control power, resources and people without any complaints until now that he is faced with a serious challenge which came his way on account of incompetence, cluelessness and ego.”
The opposition party also accused the governor of using the security situation to advance his political ambitions ahead of the 2027 elections.
“Sad enough, he is trying to take advantage of the ugly development to whip up political sentiments to drive the cause of a mirage which he calls presidential ambition in 2027. With his latest insensitive comments, Makinde has again unveiled the hypocrisy in him and it is time he quit the Office of the Governor since he has said that he lacked the wherewithal to guarantee the security needs of the residents of the state,” the statement added.
The APC further referenced the security initiatives of former governors in the state, particularly the establishment of the Security Trust Fund under the late former Governor Abiola Ajimobi, which it said helped strengthen security operations through improved funding and stakeholder collaboration.
The party insisted that the governor’s handling of security matters had fallen short of expectations and called for his resignation.
According to Sadare, “Certainly, Governor Makinde’s presidential ambition is dead on arrival but our fear is about the amount of losses, deprivations and wastefulness which the good people of the state would be subjected to in the next one year under his leadership.”
He added: “Oyo people deserve a team player, sincere and humble person as their governor and since Makinde has failed to demonstrate this in the last seven years, he should just apologize and quit the state. He should resign from office immediately and allow his deputy to complete the last year of his two-term tenure.”
The governor is yet to formally respond to the APC’s latest criticism.
