Jelili Gbadamosi
Oyo State Governor and presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Seyi Makinde, has decried the limited powers of state governors over security agencies, saying they are often blamed for insecurity despite lacking the authority to direct the police, military and other security operatives.
Makinde stated this on Friday while speaking with journalists after a closed-door meeting with Bauchi State Governor and APM leader in the state, Bala Mohammed, at the Government House, Bauchi.
The governor renewed his call for state policing, arguing that governors cannot effectively discharge their responsibilities as chief security officers because operational control of security agencies remains with the Federal Government.
“I cannot give an instruction to the Commissioner of Police in the state. He will need to get approval from the Inspector-General of Police. I cannot give an instruction to the state director of security. He will need to get clearance from the Director-General of the DSS,” he said.
According to him, the same limitation applies to the military and other security agencies responsible for tackling insecurity across the country.
Makinde maintained that Nigeria’s security architecture requires urgent reforms to align authority with responsibility.
“We need to look at our architecture and ensure that where you give responsibility, you also give authority to deal with those responsibilities,” he said, adding that an APM-led government would address the issue if elected in 2027.
The governor also criticised the practice of holding governors solely accountable for security failures, despite their lack of operational control over federal security agencies.
He recalled that the abduction of schoolchildren in Oyo State in May was the first major security breach recorded in the state after several years of relative peace and assured residents that his administration was doing everything possible to address the situation.
On his choice of a running mate for the 2027 presidential election, Makinde said consultations were still ongoing and declined to disclose any name.
Meanwhile, Governor Bala Mohammed described Makinde’s visit as part of ongoing collaboration among governors to strengthen governance and share ideas, expressing confidence that the APM would emerge as a strong opposition platform ahead of the 2027 general elections.
