From Geoffrey Anyanwu, Enugu
Former Director-General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), Osita Okechukwu, has cautioned against adoption of State Police in Nigeria, insisting that it would kill the country’s nascent democracy.
The foundation member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), who spoke to newsmen at the weekend in his Eke community during the burial ceremony of erstwhile Chairman of Udi Local Government, Enugu State, late Chief Bona Udeh, wondered how Nigerians would survive State Police with kind of dictatorship tendencies of the political leaders.
Speaking on the backdrop that majority of the 36 State Governors had in bipartisan manner endorsed the establishment of State Police, Ikechukwu said his lack of support for the establishment of State Police was because of his elementary study of the antics of dictatorship.
His elementary study of dictatorship according to him makes him shiver each time he thinks of what will happen to democracy if governors who had since inception of 4th Republic in 1999, acted like emperors were empowered absolutely to kill democracy.
He questioned, “what salvation do we earn; when careful consideration gazetted that majority of our dear governors are more or less akin to Emperors, who are constantly in the breach of fine democratic tenets and civil liberties?”
The governors he further said, had thwarted the local councils, then working local government system and had blatantly mangled State Judiciary and State Legislatures into rubber stamps.
He said, “My dear countrymen, do we in all intents and purposes make altruistic sense to further empower Emperors? Emperors hated alternative views, abhorred popular participation and rule of law throughout the history of man.
“Our dear governors in similar manner abhorred the rule of law and popular participation; this is why they had in same bipartisan manner opposed local government autonomy, independence of state judiciary and state legislatures.”
In proffering workable security solution, the former VON boss said, “as a matter of urgent national importance at this trying period, the country needed well-trained, and well-equipped Special Constabulary Police in line with Sections 105 -109 of the Nigeria Police Act 2020.
“The Special Constabulary Police should be equipped with sophisticated arsenal to contain kidnappers, terrorists and insurgents at the grassroots, without authoritarian antics.
“The Special Constabulary Police would be funded by Federal and State Governments, jointly recruited from indigenes of the given state in collaboration with the governors, albeit local community based with tiny Federal strings for necessary moderation.
“I appeal for understanding for Special Constabulary Police; as the Federal and State Governments will better fund the outfit; rather than authorising State Governors to transfer the burden of funding to our citizenry, majority of who trapped in multidimensional poverty.
“Whereas, one understood the metastasis of grief, helplessness, despair, despondency, and the sordid scenario of a country overwhelmed by insecurity, it will be less strategic in the midst of confusion to over tax our citizenry.
“And most importantly, also less strategic in hastily throwing away our democratic baby and the bathe water.”
Recall that the Director-General of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Mr Asishana Okauru, reported that 16 state governors had earlier thrown their weight behind the establishment of state police.
They supported floating of state police as a panacea for the insecurity ravaging the different parts of the country.
The Senior Special Assistant to the Vice-President on Media and Communication, Stanley Nwakocha, had earlier disclosed in a statement that discussions were held at 140th meeting of the National Economic Council on the matter.
According to him, 16 out of the 36 states had already submitted their reports on the state policing initiative and that the remaining 20 governors were already in the process of submitting their reports.
He said, “The official position of the forum is in favour of state police. I don’t know of any state that is not in support of state police.”