Follow Us on Google
From Taiwo Oluwadare, Ibadan
Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, on Saturday, laid bare the frustrations of state governors under Nigeria’s current security architecture, lamenting that his role as Chief Security Officer is a “painful burden” because he lacks constitutional control over security agencies.
Makinde made the declaration in his acceptance speech after he was affirmed as the consensus presidential candidate of the Allied People’s Movement (APM) for the 2027 general elections. The event, which was held at the Professor Theophilus Ogunlesi Hall, University College Hospital, Ibadan, drew party chairmen from all 36 states of the federation.
While many political speeches focus on campaign promises, Makinde used the platform to issue a stark critique of the centralised security system. He pointed to the ongoing captivity of innocent schoolchildren and citizens abducted by terrorists as evidence that the current approach was failing.
“As Governor of Oyo State, I carry the painful burden of being called Chief Security Officer, yet lacking constitutional control over the security agencies needed to fully confront these threats,” Makinde said.
He argued that it was untenable for the Constitution to place responsibility on a governor’s shoulders while withholding the necessary authority.
Other News
“No Governor should be placed in a situation where responsibility is placed on his shoulders, but the necessary authority is withheld,” he stated.
The governor promised that, if elected President in 2027, his first major reform would be to dismantle the bottlenecks in national security. He vowed to prioritise decentralisation so that states would no longer be left helpless in moments of crisis.
“The safety of Nigerians will not be treated as a political talking point. It will be a national duty,” Makinde added.
Beyond security, the governor also took aim at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), expressing a vision of a future in which the oil company becomes leaner and more commercially driven. He promised a reset of the economy through honest and practical reforms, including fair pricing templates for petroleum products that would protect Nigerians from arbitrary costs.
Earlier, the National Chairman of APM, Alhaji Yusuf Dantalle, described Makinde’s emergence as the beginning of a new chapter in Nigeria’s political history, stating that power must be returned to the people.
The event was attended by a former governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola; the Deputy Governor of Bauchi State, Rt. Hon. Mohammed Jatau; and the Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin, among other dignitaries.
