Amotekun not regional Army or ethnic agenda – Akeredolu

The Ondo State Governor and Chairman, South West Governors’ Forum, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has said the South West security initiative, Amotekun, is neither a regional Army nor an ethnic agenda aimed at obliterating and undermining national cohesion.
Akeredolu said this on Sunday in a statement by the Ondo State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Donald Ojogo.
The statement said: “The concerns expressed by individuals, agencies of government and several stakeholders are noted without bias. Where possible, the inexorable efforts of the South west governors will be deepened through relentless interface.
“As such interface and engagements continue, Governor Akeredolu finds it pertinent to say that the on-going discourse on the issue of Amotekun must not be misguidedly, used as a platform to ventilate personal or group views aimed at oiling primordial sentiments and grievances. Ethicizing the current situation is even more unhelpful. There should be no reason for such.
“This is more so that the Amotekun scheme is not targeted at any non-Southwest ethnic group just as its benefits are to be reaped by all Nigerians irrespective of ethnic or religious placements.
“Nonetheless, Akeredolu has expressed confidence that the Southwest governors will not capitulate to blackmail either from within or outside the region but are ready to pursue the Amotekun security scheme through all permissible political and legal means.
“Under circumstances of the nature of Amotekun, the choices are numerous. They range from prevarication and pretense; partisanship and sycophancy as well as moderate and complimentary steps not inimical to the corporate existence of our Nation Nigeria.
“The South west governors have chosen the later. In unequivocal terms too, each of the choices has a consequence, if not consequences.
“Unfortunately, the steps of South West Governors have unwittingly, had to contend with forces of conspiratorial silence and unpretentious moves of sabotage. Each has a right to choices; but certainly, no one individual can circumvent the consequences of whatever choices he or she makes in life.”