PDP Governors end Ibadan meeting, demand devolution of powers, restructuring

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum at its meeting in Ibadan, Oyo State on Monday, demanded for devolution of powers to governors on security matters, as well as the restructuring of Nigeria in line with federal systems.

The governors further reviewed the State of the Nation, particularly, practical next steps to take to advance the conversation on the worsening security situation and collapsing economy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

At the end of the one-day consultative meeting, the forum issued a communique as follows:

The meeting called on President Muhammadu Buhari, 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 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 PDP governors also stated that in the interim, the President should summon an immediate meeting of the Nigerian Police Council, which comprises the President and all the State Governors and other critical stakeholders to evolve and implement strategies to combat the present threats to the Nigerian union, especially, with respect to policing. The meeting agreed that the Police Force still remains the appropriate institution to secure the country’s democracy and should not be subjected to personal attacks. The PDP Governors further advocated that the welfare, training, equipment, funding of all security agencies should be given priority.

The meeting supported the earlier position taken by the Nigeria Governors Forum, Northern Governors Forum, and recently 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 enjoined 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 step 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 the Governors 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.

The consultative meeting was attended by Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State, Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum; Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State, Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State, Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, host; Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State, Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, and Deputy Governor Mahdi Mohammed of Zamfara State.