The Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria has renewed its call for the establishment of State Police, urging the National Assembly, Presidency, and other stakeholders to use the ongoing constitutional review to approve the measure.
This call was outlined in a communiqué issued at the conclusion of the Conference’s general meeting on Thursday, in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
The Conference emphasised that the escalating insecurity across the country justifies the need for State Police.
Speaking after the meeting, the Chairman of the Conference and Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin, stated that all 36 State Speakers are deeply concerned about the security situation in Nigeria.
“As a Conference, we strongly advocate for State Police to address the persistent insecurity in our nation. We urge the National Assembly’s constitution review committee to include the creation of State Police in its considerations, and we will ensure the swift passage of this amendment in our respective State Assemblies. It is long overdue, and we need to act quickly,” said the Chairman.
Meanwhile, the Conference of Speakers has made a heartfelt appeal to political leaders in Rivers State to resolve the conflict between the Legislative and Executive branches peacefully.
The Speakers also commended the Presidency’s bold economic policies, such as the removal of petroleum subsidies and the floating of the exchange rate, while expressing concern about their impact on the public.
They urged both Federal and State Governments to develop sustainable economic policies with similar courage to alleviate the people’s suffering.
Regarding financial autonomy, the Conference criticized State Governors for not fully implementing this autonomy and appealed to all relevant stakeholders to adhere to the constitutional provisions for financial autonomy.
