I Miss Osinbajo As Vice President, Things Not The Same Again – Makinde

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, says he missed former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo’s handling of the nation’s economic affairs.

While in office, Osinbajo chaired the National Economic Council (NEC) council meeting at the behest of the President. Members of the Council include 36 state governors.

“Sir, I personally miss you in that position (presidency). A lot of people may not know why things are not really the same. It’s not a political talk because I’m not on that podium,” Makinde said at a function on Saturday in Ibadan.

He said Osinbajo’s leadership as chairman of the National Economic Council (NEC) influenced his decision not to impose a total lockdown in Oyo State.

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“I remember I was barely seven months into the position of the governor of Oyo State, and that was my very first public service job. And we had a crisis in the country; this was February 2020.

“There was COVID, and we came in for the National Economic Council 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 meeting before that meeting, but they came in and said we should all go back and lock down our state. So, for Oyo State people, why I did not lock down during COVID was because of his decision,” Makinde said.

The governor also faulted the current administration’s handling of the tax reform bills.

He added, “But we had the same situation in this dispensation; it was the tax bill, and we said, ‘Look, bring the tax bill; bring it back; let us all have an opportunity to look dispassionately at it,’ but you cannot speak truth to power in this dispensation; the tax bill will go ahead.

“They said the tax bill will go ahead. It is an affront for even the governors to be saying that what the presidency has done to send the tax bill to the National Assembly. The tax bill, we don’t know what was passed at the National Assembly, we don’t also know what was signed up. When I say I miss you, I miss you so much sir.