Former Ekiti State governor, Ayo Fayose, has alleged that the recent abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo State was orchestrated by the administration of Governor Seyi Makinde as part of an attempt to blackmail President Bola Tinubu.
Fayose made the allegation on Monday while speaking on ‘Politics Today’, a current affairs programme on Channels Television, where he argued that the President was being unfairly blamed for security challenges that should also concern state governments.
The former governor further suggested that the circumstances surrounding the abduction pointed to a deliberate effort to embarrass the Federal Government and President Tinubu.
“This was orchestrated in a way. I’m not saying totally by the government of Oyo State, to blackmail President Tinubu,” Fayose said.
“The President has shown focus and I want to say to you, when Jonathan was to leave office, the same way he was blackmailed with insecurity, the same way they went to America and made Obama carry the placard of Chibok girls,” he said.
Drawing a parallel between the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan and the current Tinubu government, the former governor contended that security issues are sometimes exploited for political purposes.
“Let me use this to branch to Oyo State. Before you get to the hierarchy of President, states have security roles. They have people that are supposed to be working, Amotekun, but when you ask governors, they will say they are not chief security officers,” he stated.
Fayose questioned the response of Governor Makinde to the abduction incident, claiming that the governor focused on political activities while the victims remained in captivity.
“The governor of Oyo State had his nomination in the face of this abduction. He mentioned his candidate in the face of this abduction. He did not take any action. It was after the nominations that he went to visit the families,” he said.
Fayose maintained that while the President remained the nation’s chief executive, state governments also bear responsibility for maintaining security within their jurisdictions and should not shift all blame to the Federal Government whenever security breaches occur.
