Aborode’s Killing: Hakeem Alao commiserates with Ibarapa Land, tasks Makinde over good governance

*Asks him to prepare his valedictory speech

Engr Oyedele hakeem Alao, the Alliance for Democracy (AD) candidate in the 2019 governorship election in Oyo State, has expressed his sadness and displeasure over the death of Dr Fatai Aborode and the manner he was killed as he urged Governor Makinde to face the seriousness and reality of good governance.

He also asked Governor Makinde “to start preparing his valedictory note and speech ahead of 2023 because his administration had been “notorious for handling serious business of governance, particularly security and peace, with hands in gloves.”

This was contained in a statement signed and made available to newsmen in Ibadan by his media spokesman, Omotayo Iyanda.

Engr Alao, who expressed a deep concern about the killings and criminal activities incessant in the state at the moment, said Dr Aborode was his maternal cousin whose gruesome murder was painful and personal loss to him.

The statement reads in part, “It was indeed very painful and a personal loss to me that my cousin and such an industrious promising man, Dr Fatai Aborode, an Igangan-born farmer and businessman, was murdered in such a manner he was killed. This killing personally hit me because Dr Aborode was from my maternal lineage.

“I, Oyedele Hakeem Alao, and my other team members heartily commiserate with my entire people in Ibarapa land and Igangan in particular, over the death of my illustrious brother. May God bless his repose and hold together his immediate family and all of us.

“As we commiserate with my people in Ibarapa land over the death of Dr Aborode, it is high time Governor Makinde faced the reality of seriousness of good governance and stop this “populism” style he is bandying around with as his administration has recorded several criminal activities and killings, the recent being the murder of Dr Aborode and another petrol station guard around Alakia, Ibadan.”

It would be recalled that Dr Fatai Aborode had been murdered last week Friday near his farm by yet to be identified gunmen in Igangan, Ibarapa Central Local Government.

Engr Hakeem Alao, while telling Governor Makinde that donating vehicles and motorcycles was not enough to secure the state, commiserated with the people of Ibarapa land, Igangan in particular, whom he addressed in the statement as his maternal lineage family.

The ex-AD gubernatorial candidate reminded Governor Makinde of the killings that had occurred during his less than two years of administration, saying, “despite all the vans, including the last 25 vehicles of 11 December, 2020, being given out to the police and the inauguration of Western Nigeria Security Network (WNSN), Amotekun, killing, rapes, kidnapping, daylight robbery, brigandage and impunity by hoodlums, particularly the urchins who address themselves as Omo Onile (land grabbers) have been ongoing in the state.

“Notable among the killings under this administration, which have not been seriously pursued, investigated and concluded, are those of Alhaji Fatai Yusuf Oko Oloyun, Alhaji Babatunde Ore, Modupe Oyetoso’s fiancé (at Lanlate in August), Barakat Bello, and many others, including those that were not reported at all. Giving out vehicles and motorcycles in great number is not enough to secure the state.

Engr Hakeem Alao noted that the burglary that occurred in the Governor’s Office was an indication of weakness in the area of security in particular, as such killings and criminal activities were not prominent under the regime of late Senator Isiak Abiola Ajimobi, describing the act of breaking into the Governor’s Office as an insult to the indigenes of Oyo State.

The statement reads, “The worst of all was the recent burglary that took place right under the nose of His Excellency, the Oyo State Governor’s Office. That’s an insult to the sensible indigenes of the state and a clear indication that the Makinde administration is very weak.”

He, in the meantime, advised Governor Makinde to stop “Portraying himself as the most populist governor to secure his selfish political ambition,” which he pointed to as “the driving force making him to handle security of the residents of the state with levity, perhaps he does not want to offend the “boys” whom he thinks he would use for next the elections in the state. Must a sincere person become the Grand Patron of urchins, thugs and hoodlums because of his political expansionist agenda?”

Engr Hakeem Alao did not forget to admonish the people of Oyo State, saying “Our people are enjoined to be courageous to tell Governor Makinde the truth of the state security in the state, not minding how much we love him.

“We have heard people laying the blame of the poor state of security in the state, which was not like this under late Senator Isiak Abiola Ajimobi, on the doorstep of the federal government. This is not right! The blame of the porosity in the security of Oyo State should be laid before the governor of Oyo State. As the governor of the state, Engr Makinde has no excuse not to hold the state firm as far as security of the state is concerned.”

As Engr Hakeem Alao prayed for the repose of Dr Aborode and the entire people of Ibarapa land, Igangan in particular, he admonished Governor Makinde, saying “This government of Engr Seyi Makinde has been notorious for handling serious business of governance, particularly security and peace, with hands in gloves, and that is why we are joining other intelligent people of Oyo State to tell Engr Makinde to start preparing his valedictory note and speech in 2023, although truth is bitter. He should stop being deceived!”