The Chairman of the Southern Governors Forum and the governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu has hailed the Northern State Governors and Northern Traditional Rulers Council over their call for the establishment of state police across the country.
The Northern governors and traditional rulers had earlier called for the immediate establishment of state police in order to address the continued insecurity challenges in the country.
Reacting to the gesture, Akeredolu in a statement personally signed by him, described the northern colleagues as great patriots, saying the development would address the continued insecurity challenges in the country.
According to the Ondo State governor, the decision of the governors reflected the current realities and there is no better time for the state police than now when the confidence in the capacity of the Federal Government to secure the country appears shaky.
Akeredolu stated in the statement that: “The Southern Governors Forum received with great relief the news of the resolution of the 19 Northern State Governors and Northern Traditional Rulers Council to call for the immediate establishment of State Police to address the continued insecurity challenges in the country.
“Their decision to support the call for a constitutional amendment to reflect the current realities could not have come at a better time than now when the confidence in the capacity of the Federal Government to secure the country appears shaky.
“All patriots must salute the courage of the 19 Northern Governors and the Northern Traditional Rulers Council for their stance at this crucial moment in the country.
“We, on our part at the Southern Governors Forum have continued to reiterate the fact of the incongruity inherent in an arrangement which purports to be federal, nominally, but whose observances stand at variance with the best practices espoused by climes considered advanced and progressing, amenable to nuances and adaptations which reflect and accommodate the yearnings for inclusion of the component units.
“We will continue to insist on the creation of State Police as the only logical and pragmatic solution to the pervasive problem of insecurity in the land.
“In addition to this, we shall not fail to renew the call for the adoption of policies geared towards real devolution of powers to the federating units indeed. This is the surest path to peace and progress.”
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