Oyo Governor, Seyi Makinde, has declared that critics of his style of open governance cannot distract his administration from recording giant strides in the state.

The governor, who made the declaration while speaking at the inauguration of the South West chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the United Kingdom, said he is aware why there has been so much searchlight on his person and his administration.

A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Taiwo Adisa, also quoted the governor as charging PDP stakeholders to project the good deeds of the party’s office holders in order not to give room for negative narrative.

Governor Makinde, who observed that interest groups in the United Kingdom had played important roles in the politics of Nigeria, said no about 200,000 Nigerians now live in the United Kingdom.

He said the task ahead of the PDP is to regroup and launch chapters everywhere Nigerians are found.

“I am aware of the enormity of the responsibility that rests on me. The searchlight is beamed upon me, and all my actions are being met with the strictest scrutiny.

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“I know it is the seeming controversial that will be given more attention. My open declaration of my assets is generating furore in certain quarters, but these are unnecessary distractions, my focus and the focus of our administration is on good governance. We shall not be distracted,” he said.

Makinde also invite investors to Oyo State, declaring that his efforts so far have been geared towards eradicating the out-of-school children syndrome, which he said, accounts for 400,000 right now, expansion of the state’s economy and promoting security.

“In the past months, I have focused on two things to set Oyo State on the path to greatness: Ensuring that we put the right policies and processes in place, and working with ideas that will help increase Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).”

He said his focus on security was borne out of the fact that without security, businesses cannot thrive, adding that he had given his commitment to the enhancement security to the commanders of the Task Force in charge of Oyo and Osun Operation Burst.

The governor said the decision by the state government to cancel the N3,000 school levy, and examination fees had resulted in the unprecedented huge turnout of students for examination into JSS1, and the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) conducted in the state last week.