Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, has distanced himself from the agitation for a separate Yoruba nation, saying he does not believe in the secession agenda.

Akeredolu said he was only in support of the position of the Southern Governors’ Forum on the ban on open grazing in the southern part of the country and didn’t give any support behind the agitation for Yoruba nation being spearheaded by activist, Sunday Igboho.

The governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Richard Olatunde said:

“Some group of persons who held a rally under the cover of what they term ‘secessionist agitations’ in Akure, on Saturday, May 22, 2021, erroneously claimed to have had his support for the rally. Governor Akeredolu wishes to state clearly that while he acknowledges the right of individuals and groups to hold peaceful rallies, it must not be misconstrued to mean support for secessionist agenda and or balkanisation of the nation; far from it. Unequivocally, the governor’s opinion on the Akure rally or any other of its ilk, is only to the effect that he is not opposed to any civil protest which is not in breach of the extant laws of the nation.

“He neither believes nor supports the quest for the Yoruba nation outside of Nigeria in the manner canvassed. Governor Akeredolu stands by a virile, united and indivisible Nigeria as demanded by the Southern Governors’ Forum. Therefore, the vigour, zeal, leadership and candour displayed by Governor Akeredolu for a just and fair Nigeria is altruistic and borne out of patriotism for the nation as well as love for his people, the Yoruba ethnic nationality.

“It is important, therefore, to state without any equivocation that the Yoruba nation secessionist promoters do not enjoy any lending hand in Governor Akeredolu.”