Amid Kidnap Crisis, GSM Advocates Pray, Urge Vigilance, Back Makinde to Prevail

The GSM Advocates, a prominent political support group in Oyo State, has expressed confidence that Governor Seyi Makinde will overcome the current security and political challenges confronting his administration, citing his track record of weathering past controversies.  
In a statement issued to newsmen and reinforced during a prayer gathering on Saturday, the group insisted that the governor has repeatedly emerged stronger from what it described as “fierce political storms.”  

“From the ₦30 billion Bodija fund allegation to the Circular Road controversy, impeachment plots, and now the kidnapping attack, Governor Seyi Makinde has repeatedly weathered fierce political storms and come out stronger,” the statement read. “He conquered them all before, and he will conquer this one too.”  
The GSM Advocates recalled that the ₦30 billion Bodija allegation, which centered on claims of financial impropriety regarding a proposed estate project, was widely publicized but later dismissed by the state government as unfounded. Similarly, the Ibadan Circular Road project has faced sustained criticism from opposition voices over its cost and implementation framework, while reports of alleged impeachment moves against the governor have surfaced at different points since 2019.  

Despite these episodes, the group argued that Makinde’s administration has maintained its focus on delivering key projects in infrastructure, health, education, and agriculture. “Each controversy has tested the governor’s leadership, but each has also reinforced public confidence in his capacity to govern with transparency and courage,” the statement noted.  

Members of the group gathered on Saturday in Ibadan to offer prayers for the quick release of students and staff abducted in a recent kidnapping attack in the state. During the gathering, they also urged residents to remain vigilant, safeguard one another, and promptly alert law enforcement agencies or community development authorities of any suspicious or unruly act in their various domains.  

“Security is a collective responsibility,” a spokesperson for GSM Advocates said. “While we trust the governor and security agencies to act, communities must also play their part by sharing timely information.”  

The group maintained that Makinde’s handling of previous crises, from managing the COVID-19 pandemic to resolving labor disputes and infrastructure debates,  demonstrates his ability to restore stability under pressure.  

“Governor Makinde’s strength is not in avoiding storms, but in steering through them with the people,” the group stated. “Oyo State has witnessed this resilience time and again, and we are confident this moment will be no different.”  

The statement concluded with an appeal to residents to remain calm, shun panic, and continue supporting the administration’s policies on security, road expansion, agribusiness, and youth empowerment.

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