The presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has said governors lack the constitutional powers to issue operational directives to security agencies, arguing that their role in addressing insecurity is largely limited despite being designated as chief security officers of their states.
Makinde stated this on Friday while speaking with journalists shortly after a closed-door meeting with Bauchi State Governor and APM leader in the state, Bala Mohammed, at the Government House, Bauchi.
The Oyo governor said state governors could neither direct the police, the Department of State Services (DSS) nor the military without approval from their respective national authorities, stressing why state policing is the right call.
“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. The same applies to the military and other security agencies responsible for handling insecurity,” he said.
Makinde said while governors could impose curfews during security emergencies, such decisions must be balanced against their economic consequences.
“Somebody said, ‘Oh, but you can declare curfew.’ I can declare curfew, but how does that fit with the economic activities of the people? So, we’re trying our best to work with the Federal Government,” he said.
Speaking on the security situation in Oyo State, the governor recalled that the abduction of schoolchildren in May was the first major security breach recorded in the state after several years of relative peace.
“The insecurity you mentioned happened on May 15. For several years, we didn’t witness anything like this in Oyo State. I declared to run for the presidency at 4 p.m., and by 9 a.m. the following morning, the children were abducted. We’re still dealing with all of this. Yes, we may have to do more, and we’re trying to do more,” he added.
Makinde called for a review of Nigeria’s security architecture, arguing that governors should be given the authority to match the responsibilities placed on them.
“We need to look at our architecture and ensure that where you give responsibility, you also give authority to deal with those responsibilities. That is exactly what we will do if Nigerians entrust the APM with the presidency. We will ensure that responsibility and authority go together,” he said.
He also faulted the practice of holding governors solely responsible for security failures despite their limited control over federal security agencies.
Referring to the 2014 abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls, Makinde said, “When Chibok happened, it was the fault of President Jonathan. They went all over the world asking Jonathan to bring back the children. But when this happened, they said it was the irresponsibility of the state governor and the state government.”
On his choice of a running mate for the 2027 presidential election, the APM flag bearer said consultations were ongoing and declined to reveal a name.
“Let us wait until the names are uploaded to the INEC portal. It is part of the consultation. We still have enough time, and the consultations will continue,” he said.
Responding, Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, described Makinde’s visit as part of the tradition of peer review among governors aimed at strengthening governance through the exchange of ideas and best practices.
“Governance is about continuous collaboration and interaction with colleagues at the sub-national and national levels to address challenges and learn from one another,” Mohammed said.
Mohammed also expressed confidence that the APM would emerge as a strong opposition platform ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“The APM is growing into the next major opposition party that is repositioning itself to provide constructive opposition in the country,” he said.
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