The Peoples Democratic Party Governors Forum, PDP-GF, has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to devolve powers to states as one of the ways of tackling insecurity in the country.
This position was part of he resolutions reached at the end of the Forum’s meeting held in Ibadan, Oyo state on Monday.
They also stressed on the need for action on the worsening security situation as well as the collapsing economy of the nation.
In the communique read by its chairman and Sokoto governor, Aminu Tambuwal, the Forum further advised Buhari to, as a matter of urgency, send an executive bill to the National Assembly, NASS, for it to amend the constitution to devolve more powers to the states, especially with respect to security and the general security architecture.
The Forum also asked Buhari to convene a meeting of the Nigerian Police Council in order to develop strategies for combating the recent attacks on police formations, especially in the southern part of the country.
According to the Forum, government must prioritize the welfare and funding of security agencies.
In the same vein, the governors supported “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; reformation of civil institutions to achieve efficiency and equity for all sections of the country.
Chaired by Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), those other governors at the meeting included 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 Muhammad of Zamfara state was represented by his deputy, Mahdi Mohammed.
Read part of the communique signed by Governor Tambuwal below:
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.
