Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde Deems State Police Memoranda Submission Futile
In a recent interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State expressed his skepticism regarding the recent submission of memoranda by state governors advocating for the establishment of state police.
Sixteen state governors had submitted reports to the National Economic Council last week, urging for the creation of state police and proposing constitutional changes to facilitate this.
However, Governor Makinde, along with 20 other governors, remains unconvinced of the effectiveness of this approach. He criticized the submission, stating that the issue of state police should be addressed by the National Assembly rather than the NEC or the National Security Adviser.
Makinde clarified that he did not submit any memoranda on state policing and described the exercise as a waste of time. He emphasized that the constitutional nature of the state police issue necessitates action by the National Assembly, followed by adoption by state Houses of Assembly.
According to Makinde, the National Assembly has the necessary expertise to handle the matter efficiently. He asserted that involving bodies like the NEC or the National Security Adviser is not the appropriate approach.
The governor emphasized the importance of constitutional processes in dealing with the establishment of state police, advocating for a direct engagement with the National Assembly and subsequent action at the state level through respective Houses of Assembly.
