An ex-governor of Oyo State, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, has urged the sitting Governor of Oyo State, Engineer Seyi Makinde, to convene an urgent Council of State meeting to discuss the security challenges plaguing the state.
Alao-Akala who is the chairman, Elders Advisory Council of the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), stated this opinion while speaking with journalists at his residence in Awosika, Ibadan, after a meeting of the party, that was held today.
Based on his opinion, a Council of State meeting, consisting of all ex-governors of the state, both military and civilian, is needed at this point to save the state from insecurity.
A council of state meeting is a statutory organ of government and its function includes advising the executive in policymaking.
“Governor Seyi Makinde needs help in the area of maintaining law and order in the polity. Hence, he should not shy away from that fact.
“He needs to sit down and brainstorm with people who have been there before him to share from their wealth of experience on how certain things are done especially in the area of security.
“Take for instance, at the national level, the president meets periodically with former heads of state and former presidents and all former Chief Justices, among others, at the Nigerian Council of State meeting to review activities of government and seek for advice and interventions where need be.
“This is exactly what Governor Makinde needs in Oyo State at the moment. The peace and stability of the state is a collective responsibility of all. We are all stakeholders in the Oyo State project,” the former governor noted.
He said there are experienced and well trained retired generals who have been military administrators of the state before who are still alive and civilian governors who preceded Governor Makinde.
He further added that there are also retired chief judges of the state who will have critical advice that can be used to tackle these security challenges before it goes beyond control.
“Part of the duties of the Council of State is also to advise whenever requested to do so on the maintenance of public order within the federation and any part thereof and in such other matters as may be desired.
“So, Governor Seyi Makinde will very much be in order if he convenes this strategic meeting as a stitch in time saves nine,” Chief Alao-Akala added.
