The Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, has said the establishment of South West Security Network also known as Amotekun is not a plan to secede the South-West.
Akeredolu responding to claims noted that Operation Amotekun was initiated to ensure that the South-West region secedes from Nigeria are enemies of the country. He added that such individuals will be disappointed when the new security outfit becomes operational.
Speaking at the weekend when he hosted editors at the Government House, Akure, Governor Akeredolu said the idea of Operation Amotekun was conceived by the Governors of the six states of South-West as a panacea to the problem of insecurity in the region.
He said: “This country will remain one. The South-West will not secede from Nigeria. We will continue to live together regardless of our diversity.
“I, Rotimi Akeredolu, can never be a party to any arrangement that will lead to dividing this country. I am a Yorubaman and I married from the East. I am a detribalised Nigerian. My wife is an Igbo and I have benefitted from both Igbo and Hausa people. So, I am after the unity of Nigeria.”
In addition, the governor said: “When we heard that the Federal Government declared Operation Amotekun illegal, I was shocked because we perfected all necessary arrangements before it was launched and the police were carried along.”
Akeredolu also maintained that the new security outfit has come to stay and lauded all leaders of thought who pulled their weight behind the outfit.
On the achievements of his administration in the last three years, Governor Akeredolu said his achievements cut across all strata of the economy.
He highlighted the construction of a flyover worth billions of naira and an industrial park in Ore, adding that roads were also constructed in all the 18 Local Government Areas in the state.
