Governors elected on the platform of the ruling All progressives Congress (APC) have called on president Bola Ahmed Tinubu to come hard on politicians behind the spate of insecurity ravaging the country by fishing them (enablers of insecurity) out and prosecute them.
This is coming just as President Tinubu expressed his resolve to rejig the nation’s security architecture with the introduction of state policing system and the introduction of Forest Guards to flush out criminal elements in various forests across the nation.
President Tinubu also impressed it upon state governors to ensure full autonomy for local governments across the country by respecting a Supreme Court judgment affirming their autonomy. The President and the governors, alongside the leadership of the National Assembly spoke at the National Executive Committee meeting of the APC, which at the Presidential Villa, Abuja yesterday.
Speaking through their Chairman, Governor Hope Uzodinma the governors under the banner of the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF) lauded the various reforms being carried out by the government, with a beliefe that the economy of the country is rebounding.
Governor Uzodinma who stated that the government has ensured that Naira is standing tall and that the wide gap that existed between official exchange rate and black market is dead however regretted that despite the efforts of the government, politicians in the opposing parties have resolved to draw back the wheel of progress “The days of needing to know a big man to get dollars from CBN are over.
Now, legitimate business‑ es can plan their future but we are alarmed at having lost the agreement on the economy. “The battles have resulted in important losses, including the cheerful fabrication of a Christian genocide.
A falsehood so dangerous that even the head of the Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV, debunked it, stating that violence we face in Nigeria is criminal. “We commend you, Mr. President, for the courage to take the difficult but necessary decisions that rescued the national economy and saved Nigeria from becoming a failed state.
“We therefore urge the President to keep his foot on the gas, ignore the noise of those who want us to return to the era of human and complex intellects, and focus on rebuilding the real economy. “We declare that we will not allow anyone to use religion or ethnicity to divide this country.
We urge Mr. President to take all necessary steps to defend and protect our democracy. “We want to assure you, Mr. President, of our unflinching support in the fight against insecurity, with a firm promise to cooperate with the Federal Government to fish out and dispose all those who may be hiding under politics at the sub-national level to fan the embers of insecurity.
We want to please state our earlier motion of implicit concern for Mr. President and the beginning of this meeting, which we repeat‑ ed during our political summits. And we want to urge you, Mr. President that we at the Progressive Governors will not relent.
“This is the more reason why we are calling on the President not only to fish out politicians and all other elements promoting and sponsoring insecurity. Those identified must also be prosecuted,” the governor said.
Tinubu: State police, Forest Guard, LG autonomy a must
In his remarks, President Tinubu stated that the spate of insecurity can only be addressed by states setting up their respective policing mechanism just as he also expressed the resolve of his government to set up and equip Forest Guards to drive away criminal elements from the bushes.
The President also admonished the state governors to respect the judgment of the Supreme Court affirming autonomy of the 774 local governments across the country. He (the President) also lauded the growth of the APC which he described as ‘the largest party on the continent.’
President Tinubu did not however fail to urge Nigerians and other critical stakeholders in the country on the need to promote and guard this current democratic dispensation jealously. “Like I said yesterday, now that you have your elections at the local government level, you are the supervisors, the invigilators and everything of the local government. You elected them.
“Nobody helped you. Since you elected them, since you know them, you are responsible for their survival. But the Supreme Court has carved it for you again, saying give them their money directly. We have to respect judgments. “The state police that I mentioned today at the National Assembly, please summon the IG and start looking at the ramifications and which way to disperse control and prevent abuses.
We are going for state police. So we do Forest Guards. We will have them. We will defeat those terrorists and bandits,” the president said. We must strengthen democracy without eroding capacity-Akpabio
The President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio who adopted the speeches of earlier speakers praised elected officials of state for strengthening democratic tenets in a manner that has not eroded capacity to effective govern. Commenting on the state of affairs within the APC, the Senate President said, “
We must strengthen our internal democracy without weakening our governing capacity. Agreements are inevitable in a large world like ours. He however promised to tinker with the Electoral Acts, saying, “We will finish that before the end of July, so that as we go into your congresses, you have a clear timeline of when you go to your primaries for the next election.
Abass lauds executive/legislative working relationship
The Speaker of House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abass lauded the legislative, executive working relationship, saying it has ensured speedy passage of bills presented at the National Assembly.
Hon. Abass also praised President Tinubu for prompt assent to bills passed by the Assembly, saying his action placed him (President Tinubu) as being the best performing leader in terms of the number of bills that he has accent to since coming into office in 2023.
“Let me place on record the appreciation of the House of Representatives for the leadership of Pres‑ ident Bola Tinubu in a period of profound economic adjustment and imperative structural constraints. “Mr. President has demonstrated resolve, clarity of purpose, and confidence in democratic institutions.
The reforms have been difficult but necessary with legislature working to stabilise them through law, oversight, and representation. “In mature democracies, reform requires a legislative partnership, which this administration has deliberately fostered.
From the perspective of the House of Representatives, Nigeria is asking practical questions. They are asking practical questions. “Between June 2019 and June 2025, the House has placed 2,263 bills. Of these, 230 were passed. 68 have already received presidential assets, the highest of any president since 1999.
“Crucial, almost 80% of elected laws originated from private member’s bills. Efficiency has also improved marketing. More than 1% were completed within the first 100 days.
