TheCable

Seyi Makinde, Oyo governor, has asked the national and state assemblies to consider resource control and state policing in the ongoing efforts to amend the constitution.

Makinde said Nigerians are demanding that their governors play the role of chief security officers, adding that the introduction of state police would help in tackling insecurity.

The governor spoke on Saturday in Ibadan, Oyo state capital, while delivering a keynote address at the Conference of Presiding Officers of Nigeria Legislature.

Makinde urged legislators to pay closer attention to the twin issues of resource control and state police, noting that they are often neglected in conversations around constitutional amendments.

“The various agitations that have rocked our nation over the years, including the more recent EndSARS protests and the rise of banditry and terrorism, are all reasons for the legislature to pay closer attention to some of the neglected conversations around constitutional amendments and reforms,” he said.

“Yes, each new assembly embarks on constitutional amendments, but the major reforms that will finally address many of the concerns that Nigerians have regarding how our nation works are often ignored.

“These conversations have become like the elephant in the room. Everyone knows it’s there, but no one wants to acknowledge it.

“But the thing about elephants is that they can’t be ignored for too long, they will move, and when they move, we will be forced to confront them.

“We don’t have to wait to be forced to take action. Actions that are taken under pressure and without due consultation often fail to accomplish desired objectives. And so, it is high time the twin issues of resource control and state police are subjected to robust debate at the legislature.

“I believe that any assembly that puts those two issues up for rigorous debate and gives Nigerians a fair deal on all counts will go down in history as the best assembly ever. If you read the pulse of the nation, you will see that everyone is tired of the status quo, and they are ready for new vistas.

“Nigerians are demanding that their governors play the role of chief security officers of their states. They are asking that the governors be empowered to run the security architecture of their states.”

The governor said the south-west governors responded to their people’s clamour through the formation of Amotekun Corps, a western Nigeria security network, which he said has provided assistance to the people.

On the issue of resource control, the governor said: “There is an ongoing national conversation about equity and fairness. We have seen the press release figures that show that it is just a few states that are contributing to the Value Added Tax, which everyone is sharing.

“We have long talked about the states that are producing the oil that we all are sharing proceeds from.

“Everyone has seen how some states do not even make an effort to raise their internally generated revenue (IGR) because they are comfortable with receiving federal allocations from work done by others.

“But now that the receipts are dwindling, even those states are waking up to the conversation and asking if they can keep what they make.

“Can there be a better time to discuss resource control constitutional amendments are a must. They are a big reason why we have the legislative arm of government. As time passes, new generations are born, and new conversations emerge. We must, as a people, be ready to move with the times. This is the only way to move forward.

“So, as you meet, I hope you can raise these thorny issues that have eluded those who came before you. You may not be able to resolve them, but you would at least acknowledge that there is an elephant in the room. This is an important first step.”