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Insecurity: Be more proactive, Oyo APC Chieftain, Oyegoke urges Makinde

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A Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo state, Pastor Oyewale Oyegoke has urged Governor Seyi Makinde to take urgent steps to end the alarming insecurity in the state.

Pastor Oyegoke, who lamented the increasing rate of criminal activities in Oyo state, also implored the governor to put in place modalities that will address the activities of the hoodlums and criminals disrupting the peace of the state.

He made the plea recently while featuring on Fresh FM’s Cross Fire in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital. He described as intolerable, the current wanton destruction of human lives and properties in the state.

The legal practitioner, however urged Governor Makinde to be more proactive and pragmatic in his approach to solving problems , especially security issues.

He said: “I want to emphasize on two Issues, proactiveness and pragmatism.

I want to emphasize that the meaning of proactiveness is taking control of a situation before it happens. Now we have lived in this country for a very long time and we are familiar with Bokoharam insurgency, banditry, cattle rustling and others. I  expected when Mr. Governor stepped into the shoe of a big man would be ready or he would have a kind of plan on ground to address all these issues .

“This is not the first time that the issue of insecurity is happening in Oyo state, of course we may not have perfect information here but when we put forward all the circumstantial evidences together, we would see that Mr. Governor has not been proactive enough.

“The pragmatism aspect is that the issues, even when they arise,  he has not been responding with practical steps. The governance is so weak , the leadership is so weak, we can see the evidences of a failing state. Now we could have learn from other governors before, we could have even learn from the experiences in Oyo state, these things are not strange.

“I could remember when the one million boys were burning houses here and there in 2015 or 2016 thereabout, Mr. Governor, the late Ajimobi went to the scene , walking round with his entourage talking to the victims, showing empathy for them, that’s pragmatism. Not only that, he launched a lot of security outfits to help himself out and we could see what follow after .

“Governor Seyi Makinde has not led well, he has failed in his leadership, he has failed in the oath of office he took to protect lives and property. He’s the Chief Security Officer of this state and the whole thing has degenerated under his watch”, Oyegoke alleged.

Justifying his submissions, he further observed: “one thing I have noticed is that  communication is the life wire of organization’s relationship. When you needed the votes  of these people you know how you reached out to them. As a matter of fact, there was a day  when we were preparing for election that I got a direct call from him (Governor Makinde), I wouldn’t know how he did it and he called many people as well when he was seeking for votes.

“This time around, he has abandoned these people , he has no local connection with them. I could remember the last two weeks he visited them, some chiefs and Baales wanted to say something , they were telling him that they were coming to see him in camera, that means they have not been talking. And I want to tell you that as a passionate Oyo state citizen on several occasions too I have actually try to communicate Mr. Governor, of course he’s my governor too. I will send him some sensitive information, there’s no day he has acknowledged any of these information .

“The former governor, Ajimobi before he even knew me personally I have also communicated him on several occasions and he will reply. On two to three occasions he has directed people to invite me to his office without even knowing if I’m APC member or not, that is proactiveness. You don’t build fortresses around yourself as a leader, if you think you can protect yourself by building fortresses around yourself, is actually the crowd that are meant to be your protection not the fortresses you are building.

“So in that aspect, he has lost it because he lost direct connection with the people that voted him into power. There could have been a lot of information dropping at his doorstep , especially as a governor because there are several means and mediums through which information reach out to them, but it has not been opened.

“That’s the governor that even said that he couldn’t  pick up the call of his mum before the late woman passed on, so we can understand that is his nature and that has to change because we can’t continue to be a snobby, it won’t happen”, he continued.

 Oyegoke stressed the need for the state government to strengthen its political will collaboratively with the security agencies to put off the ugly situation before it is too late.

He, thereafter advised the governor to establish a strategic relationship with the police, saying that he ought to have a sense of control over them.

According to him, “Oyo state is a controllable environment and there are somethings you can do within your power in the state as a governor to address the issue of insecurity and we should stop taking alibi that it is national problem. We can separate the national aspect of it, the banditry, and others from the local cultists that are fighting here and there.

“He takes decision (s) so late, and that is what I am talking about proactiveness. Even after the #ENDSARS, what has he done? He went to the IGP and has the Police been effective enough, the police that are shooting his own Amotekun on the leg? There is no relationship and there should be connection. He has not done enough that’s what we are saying. We are only telling him to be proactive and save some lives more.

“You will always need the police , though they are controlled from the federal but you’re the one that is servicing them through some means, and you should have a sense of control.

“So, it is not about I did this and that but a strategic relationship management”, the APC chieftain submitted

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Former PDP Governorship Candidate Jandor Returns to APC

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FILE: Jandor Adediran. Twitter@PDPVanguard

A former governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos, Abdul-Azeez Adediran, popularly known as Jandor, has officially rejoined the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Jandor announced his return to the ruling party at a press conference in Lagos on Monday, approximately two weeks after resigning from the PDP.

In his address, he explained his decision, stating that APC prioritises electoral victory regardless of the candidate.

“We have decided to return to the All Progressives Congress, APC,” he declared.

Anticipating criticism over his political move, he referenced a Yoruba proverb, saying:

“Before you are quick to remind me of the reasons why I dumped APC, I want to say that there is a Yoruba adage that says, if a woman has not tried two husbands, she would not know which one is better.”

Jandor had previously left the PDP on 3rd March 2025, citing what he described as anti-party activities by some leaders in Lagos State.

“We were waiting to see if the party at the national level, governed by its constitution, would address these anti-party activities. Instead of sanctions, the same individual was appointed Vice Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee,” he said at the time.

Following his resignation from the PDP, Jandor met with several political figures, including President Bola Tinubu and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, as well as other key stakeholders in Nigeria’s political landscape.

Jandor’s political journey began with the APC, where he led the Lagos4Lagos Movement before defecting in 2022. He joined the PDP ahead of the 2023 governorship election and became the party’s flagbearer in Lagos, but lost to APC’s Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

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El-Rufai Urges Atiku, Obi, Others to Join SDP, Rules Out Merger

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Former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has dismissed the possibility of a political merger ahead of the 2027 general election, instead urging former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, ex-Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, and other opposition figures to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

El-Rufai’s call came in the wake of his resignation from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on 10 March, citing a misalignment of values with the party.

In a recent interview with BBC Hausa, the former governor appealed to opposition leaders to unite under the SDP banner to challenge President Bola Tinubu’s administration in the next election.

“My wishes and prayers are that Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, Rauf Aregbesola, and all opposition leaders join SDP—not to form a merger or register a new party, but to work together towards 2027,” he said.

El-Rufai also expressed his disappointment in the current administration, stating that despite initial confidence in Tinubu’s leadership, he had failed to meet expectations.

“What pains me is that the government we supported and believed in would perform well because we saw what Tinubu achieved in Lagos despite his challenges,” he remarked. “We all know about his issues in Chicago, but we thought if he could replicate his work in Lagos at the national level, we should support him. However, he has failed.”

Meanwhile, the Presidency has dismissed speculation surrounding the 2027 elections, maintaining that President Tinubu is focused on economic reforms and national development.

In a statement on Friday via X (formerly Twitter), Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communications, Bayo Onanuga, stated:

“President Tinubu is not worried about the next election. He is concerned about the shared prosperity he can bring to Nigerians. He is focused on ensuring that, by the end of his first term, he can look back and say, ‘I have impacted the lives of Nigerians and turned this economy around.’”

Onanuga also highlighted the administration’s achievements, including improved foreign reserves, reduced inflation, a growing trade surplus, and increased foreign investments.

Addressing speculation about his own presidential ambition in 2027, El-Rufai said his candidacy would depend on the party and the will of the people.

“It is not for me to decide; it is the party and the people that will decide. Even when I was contesting for governor, it was the people who met and convinced (Muhammadu) Buhari, and he called me to run,” he said.

As political alignments continue to take shape ahead of 2027, El-Rufai’s defection and his call for opposition unity signal growing tensions within Nigeria’s political landscape.

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I Am an APC Member, I Like to Be Addressed as One – Buhari

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Former President Muhammadu Buhari has reaffirmed his commitment to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), stating that he remains a loyal member and will continue to promote the party across the country.

Buhari made this known in a statement released on Thursday by his spokesman, Garba Shehu, amid speculations of defections from the APC.

“I am an APC member, and I like to be addressed as such. I will try to popularise the party by all means,” the former president declared.

Without referring to any individual or ongoing political debates, Buhari reiterated his long-standing position on party loyalty, emphasizing that he would never turn his back on the APC—the platform that brought him to power for two consecutive terms from 2015 to 2023.

He expressed gratitude to the party and its supporters for the trust they placed in him, acknowledging their role in his political journey. “I have nothing but gratitude for the support that the party gave me before and during my tenure as president. That, to me, is the highest honor, and I would never ask for anything more,” he added.

Buhari further stressed the importance of preserving the party’s founding ideals, which he described as a crucial effort to safeguard democracy and uphold constitutional values. According to him, the sacrifices made by the APC’s founding fathers in building a formidable party should be appreciated and sustained.

 

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