Insecurity: PDP governors urge Buhari, NASS to devolve more powers to states

Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Monday urged President Muhammadu Buhari to send an Executive Bill to the National Assembly seeking devolution of more powers to the states with a view to overhauling the general security architecture of the country.

The governors made the call in a communiqué issued at the end of the PDP Governors’ Forum, held in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, and presided over by its Chairman, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State.

According to the six-point communique, the governors threw their weight behind the position of the Nigeria Governors Forum, Northern Governors Forum and the Southern Governors Forum to reform various civil institutions to achieve efficiency and equity for all sections of Nigeria.

The communiqué read in part: “The meeting called on Mr President as the Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria and Commander-in-Chief of Nigerian Armed Forces to immediately send an Executive Bill to the National Assembly to amend the Nigerian Constitution to devolve more powers to the states with respect to security arrangements culminating in some form of state policing and the general security architecture.

“In the interim, Mr President should summon an immediate meeting of the Nigerian Police Council, which comprises Mr President and all state governors and other critical stakeholders to evolve and implement strategies to combat the present threats to our union, especially with respect to policing.

“The meeting agreed that the Police Force still remains the appropriate institution to secure our democracy and should not be subjected to personal attacks. The welfare, training, equipment, funding of all security agencies should be given priority.

“The meeting supports the earlier position taken by the Nigeria Governors Forum, Northern Governors Forum and recently by the Southern Governors Forum to adopt ranching as the most viable solution to the herders/farmers clashes in Nigeria; the restructuring of the Nigerian federation to devolve more powers and functions to the states; and reform of various civil institutions to achieve efficiency and equity for all sections of Nigeria.

“The meeting enjoins all Nigerians to work together to achieve peace and harmony with one another, devoid of discrimination based on ethnicity, religion and other cleavages.

“To this end, the meeting called on the incompetent and rudderless APC government to take bold and deliberate steps to deescalate and lower tensions in our country, and concentrate on projects and policies that will enhance and promote national unity and cohesion.

“The meeting reiterated our earlier call for the National Assembly to expedite action on the passage of the Electoral Act that will ensure a free and fair election, including provisions for electronic accreditation and electronic transmission of votes.

“The meeting thanked the host Governor, His Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, for being a gracious and wonderful host and congratulated him for the many landmark developmental projects he has executed, and urged him to continue to work with all stakeholders in the South-west zone to ensure that PDP takes over majority of the states in the zone.”

Governors present at the meeting included Tambuwal, Chairman; Udom Emmanuel, Akwa Ibom State; Senator Douye Diri, Bayelsa State; Samuel Ortom, Benue State; Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, Delta State; and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Enugu State.

Others were Nyesom Wike, Rivers State; Mr. Oluseyi Makinde, Oyo State and host; Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, Adamawa State; Godwin Obaseki, Edo State; Bala Mohammed, Bauchi State; and Mahdi Mohd, Zamfara State Deputy Governor.