On Thursday the Middle Belt Forum, MBF, has noted that agitation for state police across the country will eventually materialise in spite of President Muhammadu Buhari’s recent comment dismissing it.
The National President of MBF, Dr Bitrus Pogu, who was reacting to a clip of the President’s recent television interview explained that there is the need to practice true federalism for the survival of the country.
According to him, “It is unfortunate that President Muhammadu Buhari would say that State Police is not an option. He can only delay legitimate agitations of the people but cannot stop it.”
He opined that the country must practice true federalism which is what Nigeria needs, stressing that one cannot rule Nigeria as a totalitarian state, and the Federal Government cannot continue to impose on the federating units its authority using federal police and federal institutions.
Pogu stated that if Nigeria must continue as a federation, then it has to operate as a federation, and that all President Buhari can do is to delay the process, but there is no way such processes will not come to fruition because one of the aspects of true federalism is partial autonomy on some issues like policing and others by the federating units.
He stated that given what happened in Lagos, Nigerians must insist on state police.
He explained that the Governor is the Chief Security Officer of the state and should have authority in his state, saying that no federal institution should impose anything on the Governor.
He noted that “as far as Nigerians are concerned, they would always insist on state police and believed it is going to happen whether Buhari accepts it now or not, it will come, adding that true federalism, restructuring must happen in Nigeria for the country to move forward.”
“Our country cannot just be run like a militarized state in a democracy,” he added.
