I cannot bow to Buhari before I'm given what belongs to me — Gov Makinde

Oyo State governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, who tested positive for Coronavirus, has in a telephone interview with BCOS Radio and Fresh FM from isolation on the COVID-19 pandemic, said he cannot bow down to powers in Aso Rock over what by right, belongs to his State.


The Governor made the statement in response to a question on FG's support to Lagos state in its fight against Covid-19.

The governor also lamented that his State which he claims is 'bigger than Rwanda', is not receiving enough allocation from the Federal Government, but is working toward self sufficiency economically.



He said, "We expected that Oyo State should also be a priority to the Federal Government. But what we found out is, at the federal level, people expect you to come and bow before you can get what ordinarily belongs to your state. However, we are engaging them. But my own target for Oyo State is that we must be self-sufficient.

"The state is big enough to be a country on its own. In landmass, it is bigger than Rwanda, a country in Africa. In terms of resources, we have enough, though they were not developed because we believed so much on money from the federation account.




"So, a new Oyo State will be the one that anything coming from the federal level will be additional resources. On the issue of COVID-19, we are engaging the Federal Government.

"This is an emergency and we believe that Oyo State deserves more than we are currently getting from the Federal Government in terms of support. We have to take our destiny in our hands as we move along.


"Even, the money we are getting from the federal allocation right now is not up to what we need to pay salaries. We must run on our own speed and that is what we are working towards."

The Buhari administration had released N10 billion grant to Lagos State to increase its capacity to respond to the COVID19 outbreak.