Southwest governors and the Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, reacted differently to the position taken by the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu on the Western Nigerian Security Network (WNSN), Operation Amotekun.
It would be recalled that after almost three weeks of silence on the launching of Amotekun, Tinubu on Wednesday made his position known on the security outfit, which was launched by the southwest governors in Ibadan on January 9.
In a lengthy statement he personally signed, Tinubu had called on the southwest governors who gave birth to the Amotekun initiative and the attorney general and minister of justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami who said Amotekun was illegal to “enter private discussions.”
“This matter cannot be resolved on the pages of newspapers or by attributing negative motives to either side. The best way to resolve this is still for the two sides to enter private discussions.
“Either the governors should seek an official but private meeting with the Attorney-General, or the Attorney-General can initiate the contact. Since Amotekun is their initiative, the governors bear the greater onus in seeking the meeting.
“The meeting will initiate further discussion on how to resolve what appears to be a misunderstanding caused by an unfortunate lack of communication. Remedy the gap in communication and the misunderstanding will begin to disappear,” he stated.
While the governors commended him and promised to look into the issues he raised, Afenifere slammed he was noncommittal adding that his statement lacked substance.
Afenifere said Tinubu spoke in a forked tongue, adding that his statement failed to defend the decision taken by his kinsmen to defend themselves against marauders.
The national publicity secretary of Afenifere, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, in an interview recalled how President Muhammadu Buhari visited the then Oyo State governor, Lam Adesina, to protest against the alleged killing of his kinsmen.
“Maybe, he (Tinubu) should have kept quiet. This is not the time to speak in a forked tongue. What is the reason? You are afraid of Buhari?
“In 2001, when there was a crisis between herdsmen and farmers, what did Buhari do? He went to Ibadan and told Governor Lam Adesina ‘your people are killing my people.’
“In 2013, what did Buhari do? He told President Goodluck Jonathan you can’t declare amnesty for Niger Delta militants while killing Boko Haram. Attack against Boko Haram is an attack against the North.
“We are being killed for months, our women are being raped. Now, our governors are taking a token measure to secure our people. At this point, if you can’t speak for the people, it is better to keep quiet. We are not impressed.”
Also, an Afenifere leader, Mr. Ayo Adebanjo, said Tinubu only came out to react because of his 2023 presidential ambition.
Adebanjo, who obviously disagreed with Tinubu’s position, said the APC national leader would not say anything that would contradict the position of Buhari.
For his part, the governor of Ondo State, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu said it was commendable for Tinubu to have broken silence on the issue.
The governor, who spoke through his special adviser on security, Mr. Jimoh Dojumo, said: “We have to commend our leader, Asiwaju Tinubu, for his comments. As a leader who loves his people, he has made objective observations in his statement.
“In the comment he could see that Operation Amotekun can never be a threat to the unity of the country and that the people of the southwest needed to be protected by their governors.
Also, all other issues he pointed out in the statement would be looked into. But he has spoken well.”
Similarly, the governor of Ogun State, Mr. Dapo Abiodun, said he did not disagree with the submission made by the ex-Lagos governor.
“We in Ogun State support every agenda that promotes peace, security, and welfare of the southwest people, including Operation Amotekun,” said the special adviser to governor on media, Mr Remmy Hassan in an interview.
The director-general of Development Agenda for Western Nigeria, Mr. Seye Oyeleye, for his part, said mischief-makers who could not assist the southwest in the wake of security challenges ravaging it, were behind opposition to Amotekun.
He allayed fears that Amotekun would be against an ethnic group.
Instead, he said it would serve the interest of all ethnic groups resident in South-West.
Oyeleye said this during a programme aired by a private radio station, Rave FM in Osogbo, Osun State.
