The Osun state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has advised Governor Gbeyega Oyetola against compensating his supporters with appointments into Amotekun security outfit.
The controversial security outfit was the initiative of southwestern Governors to deal with the security challenges in the region.
Like other South Western states, Osun state has passed the bill supporting the establishment of the outfit.
However, in a statement signed by Olasoji Adagunodo, the Chairman of the opposition party in Osun, Mr Oyetola has been advised to be “cautious in his possibly ‘back on the wall’ move to compensate some idle chieftains of his party in the State at the expense of Amotekun, the security support outfit created to tackle growing insecurity in the South West.”
The statement was sent to POLITICS NIGERIA on Tuesday morning.
This followed the governor’s announcement of an Osun Apc chieftain, Comrade Amitolu Shittu as Director-General of Amotekun in the state.
According to Mr Adagunodo, the PDP agreed that the Governor was at liberty to find jobs for his idle boys and party members but certainly not in exchange for the security of lives and properties of residents of the State.
He stated that the advice is necessary for the view of the unauthorized appointment of political supporters of the governor and his party members without recourse to the edict that established the Amotekun outfit or the approving authority which is the State House of Assembly.
He recalled that the security support outfit was established to combat growing insecurity in the South West and an act was ordered to be promulgated by each state government with approving the power of the edict resting solely on the state houses of assembly in each of the states.
The PDP chairman noted with concern that the Amotekun may be heading for the rocks if technical handlers of the outfit are highly partisan persons which the appointment of Mr Amitolu seems to portend and represent. The appointment according to Osun PDP, patently runs foul of the state House of Assembly legislation establishing Amotekun in the state, either in title or descriptive stipulations of persons suitable for such appointment.
Reeling out the stipulations in the law establishing Amotekun in Osun State, he mentioned that the Amotekun Agency is to be headed by a Corps Commander who shall have proven knowledge and relevant experience in security matters and his appointment is subject to the confirmation of the State House of Assembly (HOA).
Mr Adagunodo added that the Corps Command Management Team shall be headed by the Corps Commander, to be assisted by Deputy Corps Commander, Adminstrative Commander, Operations Commander, Investigation Commander and Field Commander.
The PDP chairman further explained that the Amotekun Governing Board shall be headed by a Chairman with proven integrity and experience in security matters.
The opposition party, however, argued that the appointment of a Director-General and the directive to resume work immediately as Amotekun Director-General in the state was self-serving and alien to the Laws that established Amotekun in Osun State.
“But for the general security of lives in the State and possible dangerous precedence, the PDP was never interested in joining issues with Mr Governor and his advisers, who have clearly been acting dictatorial by failing to put up the administrative and operational outfits of Amotekun that are necessary, legal and by going through due process with the state House of Assembly for debate and approval before coming up with a non-existent appointment under the Amotekun Law.
“There is no gainsaying the fact that, as usual, another policy of the governor has somersaulted by unilaterally equating Amitolu’s Relationship of APC “State Boys” to that of a legally established outfit like Amotekun Corps Commander, which according to him, does not require any further Parliamentary input. The party, therefore, advised His Excellency, to take a 360 degree turning to avoid destroying whatever is left of his personal integrity and that of his wobbling government,” the statement read in parts.
