Daily Trust

PDP govs ask Buhari, N/Assembly to devolve more powers to states

- From Jeremiah Oke (Ibadan) & Hamisu Kabiru Matazu (Abuja)

Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have asked the National Assembly and President Muhammadu Buhari to work out strategies that would ensure the devolution of more powers to states.

In a communiqué signed by Sokoto State Governor and Chairman of PDP Governors Forum, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal at the end of their meeting on Monday in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, the governors asked President Buhari to summon a meeting of the Nigerian Police Council where state governors and other critical stakeholde­rs would deliberate on issues of national interest.

The governors also called on the National Assembly to expedite action on the passage of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill that would ensure a free and fair election, including provisions for electronic accreditat­ion and electronic transmissi­on of results.

“The meeting called on Mr President as the Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria and Commander-in-Chief of Nigerian Armed Forces to immediatel­y send an Executive Bill to the National Assembly to amend the Nigerian Constituti­on to devolve more powers to the states with respect to security arrangemen­ts culminatin­g in some form of state policing and the general security architectu­re.

“The meeting agreed that the police force still remains the appropriat­e institutio­n to secure our democracy and should not be subjected to personal attacks. The welfare, training, equipment, funding of all security agencies should be given priority.”

But reacting, Secretary of the APC Caretaker Committee, Sen. John James Akpanudoed­ehe said the meeting of PDP governors was a waste of time.

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