A speaker at a weekly Facebook interactive forum, People’s Arena, Olufemi Falana, called on the Federal Government to empower state governments to fight insecurity in their domains, through state policing.
Decrying the helplessness of the governors which has disabled them in the fight against insecurity, Falana, who is the guest speaker, wondered why the states should not have their own police, and also generate their own electricity.
The forum was themed: “Insecurity in Nigeria and the role of governments.”
Reacting to a question on the role of governors in the face of incessant attacks on their people, Falana, a 2019 governorship candidate in Ogun State, said: “People sometimes have to be sorry for governors. This is why from my briefings during the last election, governors have no power over the police. It is federal. They have no power to generate electricity, it is federal. So, major social facilities are not within the procurement of governors, hence the birth of Amotekun to enable them have some respect and tackle insecurity. This is one reason for call to restructure.
“I feel sorry for governors at times. There hands may be tied.”
On the way out of the ongoing security crisis, Falana said government of President Muhammadu Buhari has not won the people’s trust and confidence.
“The president has not proven to the people that he is competent and less tribalistic or look less religious in a way that it will not make his religion look dominant above all other religions or tribes.”
In his own submission, Funso Asagun, former lawmaker, Kogi House of Assembly, said: “…the problem with governance is that majority of our representatives serving under this present government are so greedy and self-centred individuals.