True Federalism Panacea To Nigerian Problems-Makinde
Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, has declared that the Nigerian government must embrace and practice true federalism in order to overcome the myriads of problems and challenges bedeveling the country.
He said federalism as the future of democracy in Nigeria and noted that this was part of what informed the resolutions and recommendations arrived at after the recent meeting of the southern governors in Delta State.
Makinde said this while speaking on “The Future Of Democracy In Nigeria” at the opening ceremony of the two-day Governor Seyi Makinde 2021 National Democracy Summit, held at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan, Ibadan.
The governor also explained the dilemma of the state governors in the face of security challenges across the country, noting that devolution of powers at the centre to the federating units would go a long way in strengthening democracy in the country.
Makinde said: “Devolution of powers will empower state governments and cause them to cease passing the buck of blames to the president and the Federal Government.”
He urged the Federal Government to start thinking of ways to galvanise powers for the all round development of the nation.
The governor also said state policing is a sure cure to the severed national security challenge poised by the incursion of armed herders, criminals and bandits into some parts of the state.
The governor maintained the need to review state security architecture in the country and the exploration of natural resources domiciled in each state.
Given what happened at Igangan, in Ibarapa axis of the state, at the weekend, Makinde said, it has become imperative to further entrench state policing to forestall further attacks on innocent citizens.
“States need independent power over their security architecture. We all know that without a secure environment, all efforts to attract investors will be in vain,” he said.
He said, by doing this, states would be independently minded and “state governors can be actual CEOs of their states. True federalism takes away that excuse from governors and allows citizens to be more interested in local politics and its outcome.”
He said his administration is working hard to entrench true federalism in Oyo State through careful implementation of the four pillars on which it is established.
Makinde said his administration focuses on education, economy, health and security in the state, adding that this has resulted in developing the state economy.
“We are working hard and we are seeing the results already. We have second highest IGR increase in the whole of Nigeria, despite COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.
Speaking earlier, the governors of Ondo and Osun states, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu and Mr. Gboyega Oyetola, respectively, noted that the summit will further strengthen Nigeria’s democracy.
The two governors, who were represented at the summit, said the summit will afford stakeholders to calibrate grey areas and suggest how to move the nation forward.
