Former Nigerian leader, President Olusegun Obasanjo has called on well-meaning Nigerians to revisit the state police debate, saying it is the only way out now considering the overwhelming insecurity in the land. Obasanjo gave the suggestion when he hosted the leadership of the National Association of Ex-Local Government Chairmen in Nigeria led by Hon. Albert Asipa at his Abeokuta mansion. He commended the group for forming such a formidable group; applauding them that some Local Government Chairmen were far better than most of the highly placed elected leaders in the country today.
While responding to one of the speakers in the delegation, Chinwe Monu-olanrewaju who speaks on the creation of community policing, Obasanjo opined that with the current spate of insecurity, Nigeria needs state police at this material time.
The former Nigerian leader said, “Our situation in Nigeria concerns everyone, particularly the case of terrorism. It has gotten over the issue of community police.
“It is now State Police. It is from that State Police that we can now be talking about community police,” he said.
Although, Obasanjo advocated for the strengthening of the old traditional system and Local Government administration which he said he prepared during his Murtala/Obasanjo administration.
Obasanjo insisted, “I believe there is a need to enable that tier of government to work truly like a local government. They have their own Executive, Judiciary and Legislature.
“They were working and were very visible, building and managing roads, looking into education, health, local administration, and agriculture. But they were all gone,” he lamented.
He noted that the experience of the former chairmen in local Government administration is enough for them to aspire for higher positions in politics.
Although, there were allegations that the same Obasanjo sacrificed the Local Government system at the altar of his third term bid forcing them into joint account under state governors that has become cancer to unbundle today.
He was presented with a letter of life patron by the Ex-Chairmen assuring them that he will look into their plight and be there for them when called upon.