The Federal Government has been urged to devolve powers to the states in a bid to ease off tension and surmount the insecurity challenges in the land.
The Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum gave the urge on Monday, in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, at a meeting where it reviewed the state of the nation.
The governors reportedly met to advance the conversation on the worsening security situation and collapsing economy of the country.
They charged the Federal Government to deescalate tension in the country by focusing on policies and programmes that promote unity.
They urged Governor Seyi Makinde to continue to work with all stakeholders in the South-West to ensure that the PDP takes over the majority of the states in the zone.
The PDP Governors’ Forum, at the end of the one-day consultative meeting, tasked President Buhari to send an Executive Bill to the National Assembly to amend the Nigerian Constitution.
According to them, it becomes imperative to, among others, devolve more powers to the states in area of state policing.
Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, who is the chairman of the Forum, while reading the communique, stated that “The meeting called on Mr. President as the Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria and Commander-in-Chief of the 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, 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 meeting equally agreed on 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.
“Similarly, the meeting called on the APC government to take bold and deliberate steps to de-escalate 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.
Those in attendance at the meeting include the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike; Akwa Ibom State Governor, Emmanuel Udom; Bauchi State gyovernor, Bala Mohammed; Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom; Oyo State Governor, ‘Seyi Makinde.
Others are the Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa; Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki; Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri; Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri and Zamfara State Deputy Governor, Mahdi Mohammed.
