3 Stakeholder Governors Absent as Amotekun Takes-Off in Southwest

Matilda Omonaiye/

Three out of the six state governors behind the joint security outfit for the southwest, codenamed Amotekun, were absent at the launch in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital today.

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State who hosted the event said that Lagos State governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Ogun State governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun were absent owing to bad weather condition.

Osun State governor, Mr Gboyega Oyetola sent his deputy, Benedict Alabi, to represent him at the event held at the Oyo State Government Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan.

“Even though they are not physically here, I’m sure their spirits are with us here,” Makinde said.

Six state governors had constituted the Amotekun outfit to tackle challenges of insecurity including kidnapping and banditry in the region.

But, there were reports yesterday that the six governors were summoned to the presidential villa in Abuja over the planned launching of Amotekun by 10 am today.

Makinde did not honour the Federal Government’s last-minute summon, neither did the Convener of the event and Chairman of Western Nigeria Governor’s Forum, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu.

While all the governors were expected to be in attendance at the launch, only Rotimi Akeredolu, Kayode Fayemi, and Seyi Makinde, governors of Ondo, Ekiti and Oyo were present.

Delivering his goodwill message, Makinde said that by hosting the launch of the operation and its headquarters, Oyo had added another feather as a state of the firsts.

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