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FG, govs decide on state police next week
The Federal Government and the state governors will next week take decisions on the creation of state.
The Governor of Bayelsa State, Duoye Diri, disclosed this to State House Correspondents in Abuja on Thursday after the National Economic Council.
Diri revealed that the NEC gave Adamawa, Kebbi and Kwara states and the FCT one week (November 28) to submit their positions on the proposed creation of state police.
He said by the time the NEC convened again next week a decision would be taken.
“On the issue of state police today, when the decision was taken, even before it was, the three states in question, one of them (Adamawa) was represented by the Deputy Governor, had earlier made submissions that they presented their report.
“So, that was why NEC could not come out immediately to say ‘A or B,’ but rather gave a timeline. And that timeline, as you can see, was very short: one week for them to go and do whatever they are doing so that decisions will be made by the next NEC meeting. And, from how they reacted, I’m sure that maybe we have some bureaucracy regarding the submission,” Diri said.
On the one-week deadline given to the three defaulting states, he said, “The Council mandated these remaining states and the FCT to make their submissions within the next one week.
“On the state police, Council was updated with the submission of the establishment of state police, and it was reported that 33 states have submitted their positions, while three states are yet to do so.
“These three states are Adamawa, Kebbi and incidentally Kwara, which is the chairman of our forum, and the FCT are yet to submit their positions.
“The Council mandated these remaining states and the FCT to make their submissions within the next one week and resolved to present a consolidated state’s position on the state police to the National Economic Council at our next meeting.”
On February 15, 2024, the Federal Government, alongside the 36 states, began talks expected to culminate in the creation of state police.
This formed part of agreements reached at an emergency meeting between President Bola Tinubu and state governors at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.
It followed the pockets of insecurity recorded nationwide, hikes in food prices and economic hardship.
Addressing State House Correspondents afterwards, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, explained that the process was still in its infancy and would only take shape after more deliberations between stakeholders.
“The Federal Government and the state governments are mulling the possibility of setting up state police,” said Idris, adding that “this is still going to be further discussed.”
He explained, “A lot of work must be done in that direction. But if our government and the state governments agree to the necessity of having state police, this is a significant shift.”
Two days earlier, the House of Representatives said it was considering a legislative bill titled, ‘A bill for an Act to alter the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to provide for the establishment of State Police and related matters.’
Following this agreement, the National Economic Council requested each state to submit detailed reports outlining their positions and plans for implementing state police. By March 2024, 16 states had submitted their reports, with the remaining 20 expected to do so by May.
In April 2024, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum announced that the decisions of the remaining 20 governors were ready for submission to the NEC, indicating a unified commitment among the states to establish state police forces.
Despite these, as of November 2024, the implementation of state police remains only in the planning stages as the FG and state authorities continue to debate on the constitutional amendments required to empower states to establish and manage their police forces.
The debate for creating state police in Nigeria primarily stems from the centralised nature of the Nigerian Police Force, which many security pundits perceive as inadequate for addressing the unique security challenges across the country’s diverse regions.
Proponents argue that the outfit would bring law enforcement closer to the communities they serve, enhance the effectiveness of policing, and allow for more localised control over security matters.
However, opponents fear that state police could lead to the abuse of power, particularly in states with strong political control, potentially exacerbating regional tensions and undermining national unity.
A major controversy has erupted in Nigeria’s legal space as Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has publicly queried human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), over his qualifications and contributions to the legal profession.
In a statement released on Monday, Olayinka criticized Falana’s recent remarks regarding the appointment of legal professionals as Life Benchers, claiming that the senior lawyer has done little beyond making public commentary.
“It is funny and ridiculous that in the mind of Falana, only those who have handled cases in trial or appellate courts are lawyers, and that a lawyer must have done so to be qualified as a Life Bencher,” Olayinka stated.
Defending the credibility of Wike’s recent nomination to the Body of Benchers, Olayinka said the former Rivers State Governor earned the position on merit due to his tangible contributions to legal education.
He highlighted Wike’s role in developing the Nigerian Law School campuses in Port Harcourt and Yenagoa, as well as ongoing projects under his leadership in the FCT, including a 10-unit housing project for the Law School in Bwari and the provision of operational vehicles.
Turning the spotlight on Falana, Olayinka asked, “What has Falana contributed to the legal profession?”
He went on to contrast Falana’s alleged lack of infrastructure or educational support with prominent legal figures like Aare Afe Babalola (SAN) and Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), who have invested heavily in law centers and legal initiatives, especially in Ekiti State, Falana’s home state.
Olayinka also accused Falana of misleading the public and clients regarding recent legal decisions, particularly on issues related to the Rivers State House of Assembly. He referenced Falana’s comments on national television disputing the Supreme Court’s role in ruling on the defection of lawmakers, labeling his interpretation “deceptive.”
According to Olayinka, it was on the basis of the Supreme Court judgment that the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt dismissed the Labour Party’s suit on the defection matter.”
He also took issue with Falana’s position that three lawmakers could perform legislative functions in the 32-member Rivers Assembly, arguing it contradicts the constitutional requirement for a quorum.
“If as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, you could tell your client that Section 96 (1) of the Constitution of Nigeria is useless… then questions need to be asked as to how exactly you qualified as a SAN,” he said.
The statement marks a significant escalation in the ongoing legal and political tensions surrounding the Rivers State Assembly crisis and raises questions about standards within the Nigerian legal profession.
Neither Femi Falana nor his representatives have issued a response as of the time of filing this report.
Posters of Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala A. Mohammed, with the inscription ‘Kaura for President 2027’ have flooded Bauchi streets, Daily Trust can report.
The posters were placed at strategic places including roundabouts, electrical poles and signboards along major streets within the state capital.
Daily Trust observed that the posters were visible along major streets of Railway road, Sabon Titin Karofi and Kofar Dumi street among others.
One of the youths hired for the pasting the posters, Aminu Auwal, told Daily Trust that two politicians identified as Ya’u Ortega and Talolo, contracted them to do the job.
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Auwal said: “We were directed to post the governor’s posters along major steers of Bauchi state. We started the work around 1am today and we are hoping to finish it today.”
Efforts to reach Ortega and Talolo for comment proved abortive as their phone numbers did not connect as of the time our reporter attempted to reach them for comments.
Abdulahi Ganduje rubbishes Buba Galadima over comment declaring he is not qualified as a failed politician to query his electoral value.
On Thursday, Galadima, chieftain of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), said Ganduje has no political value and owes his current position solely to President Bola Tinubu.
In a statement issued by Oliver Okpara, his senior special assistant on public enlightenment, Ganduje described Galadima as “a failed politician with no political base”.
“His statement clearly portrays him as a mischievous personality, politically,” the statement reads.
“Ganduje is well known, tested and trusted, result-orientated technocrat and politician of high repute who successfully led Kano for two uninterrupted terms.
“He is a man with infallible proof of performance across Kano and beyond.
“His developmental projects are still littered across Kano state, a testament of his unbroken connection with the people.
“Ganduje is a grassroots politician with results to show. Where are Galadima’s results?
“Galadima should know that the APC ship under the leadership of Dr. Ganduje is sailing smoothly and the party has continued to wax stronger under him.
“The same cannot be said of Buba Galadima’s NNPP which has continued to suffer serious lacerations due to an intractable and untreatable factionalization.”
On April 7, Galadima alleged that there was a plot by some people to destabilise Kano and force the federal government to declare emergency rule in the state.
Speaking on Jigsaw, a political programme aired on AIT, Galadima said those behind the plot were hatching it without Tinubu’s knowledge.
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