The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State has called on Governor Seyi Makinde to resign from office following his remarks on the worsening security situation in the state and his alleged inability to exercise full control over security agencies.
The opposition party made the demand after the governor reportedly stated that there was little he could do to rescue schoolchildren and other victims abducted by bandits in communities within Oriire Local Government Area because all security structures remained under the control of the federal government.
Makinde was said to have made the comments on Saturday in Ibadan while delivering his acceptance speech as the presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM).
Reacting in a statement issued on Sunday by its publicity secretary, Olawale Sadare, Oyo APC described the governor’s remarks as an indication of “cluelessness, insincerity and criminal ineptitude”.
The party argued that Makinde could not excuse himself from the responsibility of securing lives and property in the state after taking an oath of office under the Nigerian Constitution.
According to the statement, “Engr. Seyi Makinde could not find any fault in the nation’s Constitution as he gleefully swore 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 APC further accused the governor of allegedly attempting to politicise the recent wave of insecurity in the state in pursuit of what it described as his “mirage” presidential ambition ahead of the 2027 general election.
The party insisted that the governor’s latest comments showed he lacked the capacity to ensure residents’ security, adding that he should allow his deputy governor to complete the remaining one year of the administration.
“Gov. 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 opposition party also compared the current administration with previous governments in the state, including those led by late former governors Lam Adesina, Rashidi Ladoja, Adebayo Alao-Akala and Abiola Ajimobi.
According to APC, none of the previous administrations witnessed the level of security threats currently facing the state.
The party specifically recalled the establishment of a Security Trust Fund during Ajimobi’s administration, which it said helped strengthen security operations and stakeholder collaboration across the state.
The APC maintained that Oyo residents deserved “a team player, sincere and humble person” as governor, insisting that Makinde had failed to demonstrate those qualities during his time in office.
