Governor Seyi Makinde has renewed his call for the establishment of state police, declaring that the creation of the Amotekun Corps became necessary because the Federal Government failed to approve state policing structures across the country.
Makinde spoke during the governorship, senatorial, House of Representatives and House of Assembly primaries of the Allied Peoples Movement held at the Watershed Event Centre, Ibadan, where the party formally presented its consensus governorship candidate, Bimbo Adekanmbi.
The governor lamented the worsening security situation in parts of the country, especially following the abduction of teachers and pupils in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, insisting that states should be constitutionally empowered to manage their own security architecture.
According to him, Amotekun was only introduced as an alternative because the demand for state police was not granted by the Federal Government.
Makinde said: “Before this administration came on board, there was nothing like Amotekun in Oyo. We wanted state police, but because we did not get it, we created Amotekun as an alternative arrangement.”
He further criticised the Federal Government’s approach to the issue, stating that Nigerians should not continue to wait endlessly for reforms controlled from Abuja. The governor argued that state Houses of Assembly should be empowered to establish and regulate state police structures independently instead of leaving the process solely in the hands of the Inspector-General of Police.
Makinde also assured residents that the “Omituntun” agenda would continue beyond his administration, declaring that “Omituntun 3.0” would deliver even greater development across Oyo State.
While congratulating the APM governorship candidate, Bimbo Adekanmbi, the governor advised him to build his own political identity and improve on the achievements of the current administration for the benefit of the people.
