Oyo State Governor, and presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Engr. Seyi Makinde, says President Bola Tinubu has yet to contact him directly over the abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in the state, despite the incident lasting 56 days.
Makinde disclosed this during an interview, where he explained that he had expected the President to reach out following the kidnapping but received no call from him throughout the period.
The governor said he made efforts to speak with Tinubu, including contacting the State Chief of Protocol, but was unable to reach the President.
According to him, he has not had any direct conversation with Tinubu about the incident or any other matter, despite the support he gave the President during the 2023 presidential election.
Makinde had supported Tinubu’s emergence in 2023 based on an agreement for the formation of a government of national unity, which he said was expected to bring together competent Nigerians from different parts of the country.
However, he expressed disappointment that the agreement was not implemented, adding that the President had not fulfilled the commitment despite having the document signed by representatives of both sides.
The governor also defended his decision to call on the United Nations to investigate the circumstances surrounding the abduction, describing the incident as unusual and insisting that the kidnapping of schoolchildren should not become normalised in the country.
He said his administration established a judicial panel of inquiry, which had submitted its report, adding that the state government would release a white paper on its findings.
Makinde, however, alleged that federal agencies did not cooperate with the state during its investigation, although this did not prevent his administration from carrying out its responsibilities.
He also accused the Federal Government of politicising insecurity, insisting that security matters should not be used for political purposes.
On the controversy surrounding allegations that he orchestrated the kidnapping to discredit the Federal Government, the governor rejected the claim, asking why he would put in place such an attack against children whose safety he had sworn to protect.
Makinde further advocated decentralised security arrangements, including state police, arguing that security decisions should be closer to the people and that states should be allowed to adopt arrangements suited to their circumstances
