According to a report by Daily Independent, on Friday, July 17, 2026, elder statesman and former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George, shared his views on several national issues during an interview, including the controversy surrounding Governor Seyi Makinde’s appeal for the United Nations to investigate the recent kidnapping incident in Oyo State and the reaction of the Nigerian Senate.
George expressed disappointment over the comments made by some political leaders, particularly the position taken by former Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole.
He argued that instead of treating the kidnapping as a serious national security challenge, some politicians had chosen to give it a political interpretation.
According to him, Governor Makinde found himself in a difficult situation because he lacked the constitutional authority and security resources required to independently tackle such a major security crisis.
George noted that the kidnapping of schoolchildren and their teachers had remained unresolved for more than two months, yet the issue appeared to have faded from national attention.
He stressed that the safety of Nigerians and the protection of lives and property should remain the government’s highest priority.
In his view, the incident in Oyo State should not be regarded as an isolated event because similar cases have occurred in several parts of the country, including Borno and Benue States.
He maintained that the recurring nature of such attacks makes insecurity a national concern that requires collective action rather than political arguments.
George referred to the American system of government, which he said Nigeria largely adopted in designing its constitutional framework.
He explained that state governors in the United States have access to state policing structures and can also deploy the National Guard whenever security situations escalate beyond the capacity of local law enforcement.
He further explained that while agencies such as the FBI operate across the country, they work alongside state authorities and become more directly involved when investigations require federal intervention.
According to him, if the crisis grows beyond the capacity of state institutions, additional federal support is provided before the situation deteriorates further.
Drawing from his own experience during an earlier administration, George recalled that government operations were guided by careful planning and structured decision-making.
He said security agencies were expected to gather intelligence, conduct thorough assessments, develop operational strategies, and execute their assignments before returning to evaluate their performance through post-operation reviews.
He questioned whether such professional procedures were still being followed in handling today’s security challenges.
George further argued that leadership demands immediate action whenever the nation is facing a serious crisis.
He suggested that a president should not wait until insecurity spreads across the country before stepping in to provide direction and support.
Protecting citizens should take precedence over political disagreements or constitutional technicalities.
He said, “If Makinde doesn’t know what to do, the president is older than him, and he knows the do’s and don’ts. He had been a governor himself for eight years. If A doesn’t go to B, then B will go to A. It’s your nation, and it will spread if you don’t act.”
George also criticized what he described as the unnecessary politicisation of the situation.
He questioned why former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose chose to publicly criticize Governor Makinde instead of focusing on the broader issue of insecurity.
He pointed out that Ekiti State had also witnessed kidnapping incidents, with victims only recently regaining their freedom.
According to him, such experiences should encourage leaders to unite in addressing the security crisis rather than engaging in political attacks.
He concluded that the increasing tendency to score political points over matters affecting the lives of citizens distracts attention from finding lasting solutions to the country’s security challenges……See More
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