A former Governor of Oyo State, Chief Christopher Adebayo Alao-Akala has advised Governor Seyi Makinde of the state, to without further delay convene a council of state meeting.
Alao-Akala noted that the meeting was necessary in view of the current security situation in the state.
DAILY POST gathered that Oyo State in the last few days has been engulfed by a series of unrest occasioned by kidnapping, attacks and killing of innocent citizens.
Alao-Akala, however, explained that such meetings would be relevant in order to brainstorm on the security challenges facing the state.
The former Governor who ruled the state between 2007 and 2011 made this call while speaking with journalists shortly after an expanded meeting of the Elders Advisory Council of the All Progressives Congress held on Saturday at his Awosika residence in Ibadan.
He advised Makinde to convene the meeting which will have in attendance former Governors of the state, both military and civilian governors.
Alao-Akala said, “A council of state meeting consisting of all former Governor’s of the state both uniformed and civilian is necessary at this point to save our dear state from total collapse security-wise.
“A council of state meeting is a statutory organ of government and its function includes advising the executive on policy making.
“Gov. 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, all former Chief Justices amongst 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 he needs in Oyo state at the moment, the peace and stability of Oyo state is a collective responsibility of all, we are all stakeholders in the Oyo state Project.
“We have seasoned, well trained Retired Generals who have been Military Administrator of Oyo state at one time or the other who are still alive, we have civilian governors who have been on that seat before Governor Makinde so also are retired Chief Judges of the state who will have one or two advises to offer to nip in the bud all these security challenges before it gets out of 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”.
