The Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has strongly criticised Governor Seyi Makinde over his recent remarks on insecurity, accusing him of trying to avoid responsibility for the security challenges facing the state.
In a statement issued on Sunday in Ibadan, the party’s Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, dismissed Makinde’s claim that his ability to tackle insecurity is limited because security agencies are under the control of the Federal Government.
According to the APC, the governor’s comments amounted to an attempt to shift blame at a time when residents are expecting leadership and decisive action.
The opposition party described Makinde’s remarks as evidence of poor leadership and argued that he cannot distance himself from his constitutional duty to protect lives and property in Oyo State. It also called on him to step down and allow his deputy to complete the remaining year of the administration.
“Leaders with such an attitude pose a serious threat to progress and development,” the statement said, adding that voters should be more careful when choosing future leaders.
The criticism followed comments reportedly made by Makinde after emerging as the presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) on Saturday. During his acceptance speech in Ibadan, the governor lamented the difficulties his administration faced in responding to the abduction of schoolchildren and other residents in Oriire Local Government Area, arguing that governors do not exercise full control over security agencies.
Earlier in the week, Makinde had renewed his call for the establishment of state police, saying the recent kidnappings had exposed the limitations of the current security structure. He urged the Federal Government to empower states to create and manage their own policing systems.
However, the APC rejected that argument, insisting that the governor willingly accepted the responsibilities of office when he took the oath of office and cannot now blame constitutional limitations for the state’s security challenges.
The party argued that previous governors operated under the same constitutional framework without facing the level of insecurity currently being experienced in the state.
The APC specifically pointed to the late former governor Abiola Ajimobi, noting that his administration strengthened security through initiatives such as the Security Trust Fund and collaboration with key stakeholders.
The party also accused Makinde of using the insecurity situation to advance what it described as an unrealistic presidential ambition ahead of the 2027 elections.
According to the APC, the governor has failed to demonstrate the leadership qualities needed to effectively manage the state’s security concerns and should apologise to residents before leaving office.
“Since he has publicly admitted that he lacks the capacity to guarantee the security of the people, the honourable thing to do is resign and allow his deputy complete the remainder of the tenure,” the statement concluded.
