Amotekun: Tinubu’s silence unsettles South-West
There is disquiet in the South-west over the silence of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the regional security outfit, Operation Amotekun, recently initiated by the six South-west governors, Daily Trust on Saturday can report.
Some stakeholders in the region have construed his silence as a tacit disapproval of the initiative amidst the declaration by the federal government nullifying the security organization.
Daily Trust reports that right at the launch, the whole project has raised political suspicion following the absence of three of the six governors in the zone. The governors in attendance were the host governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, Governor Akeredolu and Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State who is also the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF).
Governors Gboyega Oyetola of Osun
State and Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State were represented by their deputies while the governor of Lagos State, Babajide SanwoOlu, was not represented. The attendance at the launch has fueled speculations of political division with governors believed to be loyal to Tinubu absent.
This has raised questions on their commitment to the initiative with observers construing their absence as a deliberate and careful stance not be seen as being antagonistic to the federal government.
Their absence at the inauguration where Yoruba leader, Banji Akintoye, led over 100 Yoruba self-determination groups have been generating misgivings in the region.
Governor Sanwo-Olu was said to have missed the inauguration because of bad weather which prevented him from coming with a helicopter. But his Chief Press Secretary, Gboyega Akosile, said his principal was committed to the project. Also, the Governor of Osun insists the presence of his deputy, the Deputy Chief of Staff and a commissioner showed the importance the state attaches to the initiative.
A group, Save Lagos Group (SLG), challenged Tinubu to let the Yoruba nation know his position on Amotekun, giving him 24 hours to speak up.
The convener of the group, Comrade Adeniyi Alimi Sulaiman, said Tinubu could not be claiming to be Asiwaju of Lagos in Yorubaland without making his position known on “Amotekun”.
Also speaking with our correspondent, the spokesman of Afenifere, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, said the people of the Southwest need to know where Tinubu stands.
Mr. Tunde Rahman, the media aide to Tinubu, did not respond to our correspondent’s enquiry at the time of going to press.
A political scientist, Dr. Kayode Esuola, said Tinubu’s silence as well as that of the governors loyal to him was political.
According to him, politics of 2023 presidential elections, godfatherism and very dogmatic party loyalty are at play here against geo- political concerns.