2027: Makinde backs state police, vows security overhaul

By Golok Nanmwa

JOS – Oyo State Governor and presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM), Seyi Makinde, has backed the establishment of state police, pledging to decentralise Nigeria’s security architecture if elected president in the 2027 general elections.

Makinde stated this on Sunday during a live political programme on Jay FM 101.9 in Jos, Plateau State, where he outlined his proposed security reforms ahead of the party’s presidential campaign activities in the city.

“I believe that we need to decentralise our security architecture. State police is one of the ways to achieve this, but it must be properly structured.

“States that are ready should be allowed to establish their own police formations, while others can come on board when they are prepared,” he said.

Recalling his engagement with former President Muhammadu Buhari on the issue in 2019, Makinde said the former president had expressed concerns about the ability of some states to fund their police formations.

“When we approached President Buhari in 2019, one of the concerns he raised was that some states could not even pay workers’ salaries. He questioned how such states would be able to fund state police,” he said.

Explaining the alternative adopted by governors in the South-West, Makinde said they settled for a regional security arrangement through Amotekun.

He said the operatives gather intelligence and work with federal security agencies, adding that the initiative had helped improve security coordination in the region.

The APM presidential candidate acknowledged concerns that state police could be abused by governors to intimidate political opponents and other citizens, but insisted that appropriate safeguards could address such risks.

“We must not pretend that there are no concerns. Some people are worried that governors could use state police to oppress their opponents or intimidate citizens. Those concerns are valid, and we must put safeguards in place.

“But the fact that something can be abused does not mean we should not do it. We must design a system that ensures accountability and protects the rights of the people,” he said.

On the pace of implementation, Makinde said states should be allowed to establish their police formations at different times, depending on their readiness and capacity.

He cited Nigeria’s transition to self-government and independence as an example of how states could adopt the arrangement at different paces.

“We had self-government in 1957 and independence in 1960. We did not achieve everything at once. In the same way, states can move at different paces,” he said.

Makinde also warned that Nigeria’s growing population, particularly its large youth population, required urgent government attention through job creation and opportunities for economic advancement.

“We are talking about a country that could have a population of over 300 million people, with more than 70 per cent below the age of 34. We must create opportunities for these young people.

“If we fail to provide pathways for them to succeed, we should not be surprised when some of them turn to crime or other activities that threaten the stability of the country,” he said.

Beyond security, the governor said his proposed Reset Agenda would address the country’s economic and governance challenges, insisting that Nigeria needed fundamental changes rather than superficial adjustments.

“When you talk about reform, it means that there is something good in the system that you want to improve upon. But when the bad outweighs the good, you need to take a different course of action.

“If what you have in the system is only about 20 per cent of what you expected, you don’t need to continue tweaking it. You need to press the reset button, shut it down and reboot it. That is what Nigeria needs at this point,” he said.

On the economy, Makinde said government policies should be assessed by their impact on the living conditions of ordinary Nigerians rather than economic statistics alone.

“The economy must work for everybody. We should not just be talking about foreign reserves, World Bank figures or inflation statistics. What matters is whether ordinary Nigerians can afford to feed themselves and meet their basic needs.

“If the people on the streets are not feeling any improvement, then we cannot say that the economy is doing well. The real test of economic performance is the condition of the people,” he said.

He said his proposed administration would prioritise skills acquisition, entrepreneurship, education and production to create jobs and stimulate economic growth.

“We must encourage our people to acquire skills and become entrepreneurs. We must invest in education and move towards intensive production. Government must provide an environment where businesses can thrive and young people can find meaningful employment,” he said.

Explaining his decision to join politics, Makinde said he was motivated by concerns about the country’s future rather than a desire to pursue a career in politics.

“I am not a career politician. I came into politics because I believe that the future of millions of Nigerians is at stake. We have the potential to become the greatest Black nation on the face of the earth, but we must make the right decisions to achieve that destiny,” he said.