Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, has appealed to politicians to stop playing politics with the schoolteachers and students’ abduction in Oriire Local Government Area of the state.
It will be recalled that former Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State, accused the Oyo government of orchestrating the kidnap of the students and teachers. He stated this during an interview on Channels TV on Monday, where he alleged that the kidnap was orchestrated by the Oyo State government to blackmail President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Makinde, who reacted during his address to members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), and the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) at the Oyo State Government House on Tuesday, stated that the development can best be described as national distress, and urged politicians not to engage in politics.
He said that he’s personally distressed over the incident because it occurred a few kilometres away from a primary school where his father worked.
“Let me say this clearly, this is a time of national distress. It’s not the time to trade blame. It’s not the time to play politics. I’m personally distressed.
“My own father was a primary school teacher. He actually taught in Ahoro-Dada less than 15 kilometres from where this incident happened. My father was there from 1959-1960.” Makinde said.
He passionately appealed to the NUT, NANS, and NLC to trust the government’s ongoing rescue effort. “It’s not the time to say it’s the President that should have handled this, it’s the governor or the local government. This is the time to pull together as one. We’re not dealing with normal human beings. Just think briefly, how will somebody take his fellow human being and slaughter him?
“Is that somebody that is normal? These are not normal people, and I can only appeal to you both the students, workers, and teachers to please have trust in your government.” He said.
According to Makinde, the Federal Government officials and security operatives had been largely deployed to the state since the incident and urged the unions to work with the government.
“We’re doing our best. I’ve heard from the Federal Government and security operatives that have been here for the past two weeks. They spent their Sallah here. I’ve been meeting with them morning, night, and sometimes three to four times in a day.
“We shouldn’t provide oxygen to the people that want to see us divided. The response at this time should be to pull together and allow the government to see this through.”
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