Yakubu Dogara, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, has stated that certain of the concurrent list functions delegated to governors have not been effectively managed.
The Speaker of the 8th National Assembly appeared on Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, a sociopolitical series that aired on Channels Television on Friday.
He claims that governors are mismanaging state-controlled electoral commissions in order to win local government elections. He claimed that if governors are given power over state police, the opposition will be unable to breathe.
He dismissed as “laughable” certain people’s requests for the introduction of state police to combat Nigeria’s pervasive security concerns such as abduction and banditry.
Dogara expressed concerns about the management of outsourced state functions and the implications of establishing state police. He highlighted how state electoral commissions often result in ruling parties taking all local government chairmanships, demonstrating a lack of genuine democratic processes.
“If I were a governor pretending to be a democrat, I might concede a few local governments to the opposition. But in reality, when governors run these elections, their parties win 100% of the seats,” Dogara said.
Dogara warned that creating state police could empower governors to build militias, thus compromising democracy. He emphasized that governors already control state assemblies, magistrates, area court justices, and state high courts. Introducing state police would further consolidate their power, potentially using it to intimidate opposition and rig elections.
“Giving state governors control over police forces is like giving a hangman a free hand to hang. It makes them judges in their own cases, which contradicts democratic principles,” Dogara stated. “Our democracy isn’t mature enough to handle this without intimidation and suppression of opposition.”
Dogara represented the Dass/Bogoro/Tafawa Balewa Constituency in Bauchi State as a lawmaker in the House of Representatives for 16 years, from June 2007 to June 2023.
Recently, the debate on state police has intensified, with some governors and regional groups like Afenifere and Ohanaeze Ndigbo advocating it to combat kidnapping, banditry, and other crimes. Several states already have security outfits such as the Civilian Joint Task Force in Borno, Amotekun Corps in the South-West, and Ebube Agu in the South-East, among others. However, these outfits lack the legal authority to carry powerful weapons, limiting their effectiveness.
In mid-February, President Bola Tinubu and the governors of the 36 states agreed to pursue the establishment of state police to address the nation’s security challenges. Following this, 16 governors submitted reports to the National Economic Council (NEC) supporting state police and recommending amendments to the 1999 Constitution. The positions of the remaining 20 governors are awaited.
Despite support, state police face criticisms, particularly concerning funding. Some argue that governors, already struggling to pay civil servant salaries, may not be able to sustain state police forces. Dogara warned that underfunded police could lead to further instability.
“Some governors can’t even pay civil servant salaries. Giving them control over state police could endanger lives as poorly paid operatives might misuse their authority,” Dogara cautioned.-