– President Buhari has been advised to devolve more powers to state
– The call was made by governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party
– Going further, the governors lamented the worsening security situation of the country
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State governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have called for the devolution of powers to states as one of the ways to tackle the disturbing trend of insecurity in the country.
This formed part of many resolutions reached by the governors on Monday when they met in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital to further review the state of the nation.
The governors stressed the need to take action to advance the conversation on what they described as the worsening security situation and collapsing economy of the nation.
In a communique issued at the end of the deliberation, they asked President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently send an executive bill to the National Assembly.
The bill, they noted, was to amend the 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.
The governors also asked the President to convene a meeting of the Nigerian Police Council to develop strategies on how to combat the recent attacks on police formations, especially in the southern part of Nigeria.
According to them, the Police Force remains the appropriate institution to secure Nigeria’s democracy and must not be subjected to personal attacks.
While noting that the welfare and funding of security agencies should be given priority, the governors backed the adoption of ranching as the most viable solution to the crisis between herders and farmers, the restructuring of the country to devolve more powers and functions to the states, as well as reform of civil institutions to achieve efficiency and equity for all sections of the country.
Governors at the meeting included Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom), Douye Diri (Bayelsa), Samuel Ortom (Benue), and Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta).
Others were Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Oluseyi Makinde (Oyo), Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa), Godwin Obaseki (Edo), and Bala Mohammed (Bauchi).
However, Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State was represented at the meeting by his deputy, Mahdi Mohd.
In another report, Legit.ng had reported that the speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, on Monday, May 17, admitted that Nigeria is at war with terrorists and insurgents.
Gbajabiamila made this submission during a public to deliberate on a bill seeking to set up a trust fund for the military.
He noted that Nigeria needs a better and trained military in other to sustain impressive victory over insurgency and banditry. The speaker of the green chamber made it clear that at such a time the country needs funds beyond regular appropriation.
Meanwhile, amid insecurity and other crises bedevilling Nigeria currently, Bishop David Oyedepo of the Living Faith Church Worldwide has maintained that he will never leave the country out of fear.
Oyedepo in a sermon on Sunday, May 16, declared that he will be the last person to leave Nigeria despite the growing tension.
He admonished Nigerians to continue in righteousness and holy living to enjoy divine blessings and favours in the midst of want and poverty.
Source: Legit.ng
