By Uche Mbah
The controversy behind the establishment of the Pan South west security outfit, Amotekun, has heightened with the continued silence of the Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Ahmed Bola Tinubu, on the issue. He was absent at the launch of the project in Ibadan, Oyo state capital.
Recall that the outfit was launched under controversial circumstances, with the presidency claiming that they were not consulted. But indications were that requests to meet the President on the issue were submitted through appropriate channels but was never delivered to the President. The South west governors then went ahead and launched Amotekun.
The Presidency then reacted to the Launch by describing it as illegal, while the South west leaders pointed out that Hisbah, the Northern traditional police, has been operating in the north with what has come to be known as Civilian JTF, but those were not regarded as illegal by the presidency.There were even reports of the Hisba Police arresting regular police for pimping.
With most prominent leaders of the South west region queuing behind to project, Tinubu has kept a distance from it, neither commenting no involved with the project. This was speculated to be because of his personal ambition due to his rumored interest in the 2023 presidency. Only recently, his campaign posters flooded Lagos and Abuja.
Prominent nonagenarian Yoruba elder, Ayo Adebanjo, has been reported to have been so angered by Tinubu’s silence that he swore that Tinubu will never rule Nigeria, saying that the alliance with the North was a brain child of Tinubu who convinced the Yoruba nation that there will be benefits for the Yoruba race. “Now where are the benefits?” he was reported to have queried.
The controversy has been taken to the social media with Tinubu’s supporters claiming that he may have been working behind the scene. But others feel he is diminishing his image as a Yoruba leader by his silence, since for once the Yoruba are unanimous on their decision.
The Miyetti Allah, the umbrella body of the Fulani cattle breeders, has said that the establishment of Amotekun will cost the South west the 2023 presidency. Already, speculations are rife that the North are repositioning the South east for another round of second fiddle as Vice president when they take over power in 2023. It is speculated that both Sokoto state governor Aminu Tambuwal and Nasir el Rufai may slug it out under the umbrella of the PDP and APC respectively, though Atiku Abubakar’s interest is still open. His current penchant to stay at the front burner of national discuss may point towards that.
