How Buhari should combat insecurity, threat to unity ― PDP govs

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum has charged President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately summon a meeting of the Nigerian Police Council to evolve implementable strategies to combat the present threats to the nation’s unity.

The forum noted that the meeting to comprise the President, all governors, Inspector General of Police and other critical stakeholders will help the current administration address challenges of policing and insecurity in the country.

This is as the forum called on the Buhari led government to de-escalate and lower tensions in our country by concentrating on projects and policies that will enhance and promote national unity and cohesion.

The meeting particularly noted that the police should not be subjected to personal attacks but that the Federal Government should prioritise the welfare, training, equipment, funding of all security agencies.

These calls were contained in a communiqué issued at end of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum meeting held in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, which had 12 governors in attendance.

Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto state was joined in the meeting by governors Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa); Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom); Bala Mohammed (Bauchi); Duoye Diri (Bayelsa); Samuel Ortom (Benue); Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta); Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu); Seyi Makinde (Oyo); Nyesom Wike (Rivers); Godwin Obaseki (Edo); Bello Matawalle (Zamfara) represented by his deputy, Mahdi Gusau.

Among others, the meeting also called on Buhari to immediately send an executive bill to the National Assembly to amend the Nigerian Constitution to devolve more powers to the States.

Especially, the governors asked for devolution in terms of security arrangements that lead to state policing and change in the general security architecture.

Other parts of the communique read, “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 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.”