Governor of Ondo, Rotimi Akeredolu, has said the governors of south west region will not cower to pressure from federal government and abandon the newly launched security outfit in the region called Amotekun.
The governor made this known in an interview with channels TV on wednesday.
Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation (AGF), had declared the outfit illegal and unconstitutional , saying only the federal government has the power to float a security outfit.
But Akeredolu, who doubles as chairman of the south-west governors’ forum, said the constitution does not prohibit the establishment of a regional security outfit, insisting that the region will go ahead with the initiative.
“The Constitution does not prohibit us from doing what we are doing,” he said.
Akeredolu implored the AGF should institute legal actions if he feels the outfit runs foul of the dictates of the constitution, adding that the south-west governors, in a bid to resolve issue, would not become confrontational with the federal government.
However, he said it was the duty of the governors to protect their people.
“If the Attorney General made a statement, we will not go and say we want to be confrontational but after our meeting, we will take decisions as to what we will do. We don’t want any confrontation as such but we know that it is not in the place of the AGF to interpret laws. It is for the court,” he said.
“We are elected as governors to protect our people and that’s why we are the chief security officers in the state. So, it is for us to determine what we want to do for our people and we have taken that decision. Amotekun is going to go ahead, but like I said, we will meet and get back to you.”
In the same vein, human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has asked the governors disregard the pronouncement of Malami, saying that the proscription of “Amotekun” by the federal government was hypocritical and discriminatory.