The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum 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 and read by the Chairman of the Forum and Governor of Sokoto State,Aminu Tambuwal 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.
The Communiqué read in part;
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 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 re-iterated 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.
