I miss you as VP, things are not the same in this administration - Makinde to Osinbajo

Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo, says he misses formerVice-President Yemi Osinbajo’s leadership. Makinde spoke on Saturday at the 60th birthday celebrationof Samson Ajetomobi, president of The Men of Issachar Vision Incorporated (MIV)and overseer of the Redemption Faith Churches, in Ibadan, Oyo state capital,where Osinbajo was also in attendance. “Sir, I personally miss you in that position (as vicepresident),” Makinde told Osinbajo. “A lot of people may not know why things are not really thesame. It’s not a political talk because I’m not on that podium.” Makinde recalled how Osinbajo’s decision prevented him fromlocking Oyo state down during the COVID-19 pandemic. “I remember I was barely seven months into the position ofthe governor of Oyo state and that was my very first public service job. And wehad a crisis in the country; this was February 2020,” the governor said. “There was Covid, and we came in for the national economiccouncil meeting. It was a hot meeting; the chairman of the council (Osinbajo)came in and a few of my colleagues. I wasn’t sure whether they held a meetingbefore that meeting, but they came in and said we should all go back and lockdown our state. “So, for Oyo state people, why I did not lock down duringCovid was because of his decision.” Makinde contrasted this ease of decision with President BolaTinubu’s refusal to withdraw the tax bill, criticising the administration’shandling of the matter. “But we had the same situation in this dispensation; it wasthe tax bill, and we said, ‘Look, bring the tax bill; bring it back; let us allhave an opportunity to look dispassionately at it,’ but you cannot speak truthto power in this dispensation; the tax bill will go ahead.” Makinde has long opposed Tinubu’s tax reforms. Last September, the governor declined assent to the billafter passage by the state assembly, insisting that it would impose additionalburdens on the poor who were already struggling due to the current economicreality in the country.

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