President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday spoke on various national issues, including security, 2023 general elections and the economy
The president who spoke during an interview with Channels Television expressed his reservation on the establishment of state police.
According to him, state policing is not an option to the insecurity in the country, adding that it could also hike the cost of governance.
His words, “State police is not an option. Find out the relationship between local governments and the governors. Is the third tier of government (local governments) getting what they should get constitutionally? Are they getting it? Let the people in the local government tell you the truth, the fighting between local governments and the governors.”
The President also insisted that the establishment of grazing routes would solve the problem of farmers, herders’ clashes in the country.
According to him, grazing routes must be restored across the country to address the gory seasonal farmers-herders clashes.
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“The Ministers of Agriculture, from Audu Ogbeh to Mahmud now; one of the issues I discussed with them is to go and get the gazettes of past republics, especially of northern states.
“There are cattle routes and grazing grounds, and herders are confined to those areas. Those that go outside it were arrested. So we said we have to go back to that system again to make sure that we prepare the grazing areas, windmills and even veterinary departments so the herders won’t veer into farms.
“What we have to do is start from bottom-upwards. We must ensure that the grazing areas and ponds are secured for them, so they don’t have to go through people’s farms.”
On the detention of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, the President said despite the fact that he would not interfere in the proceeding of the court, political solution is possible if “Kanu behaves himself.”
He said: “If there is one institution I will not interfere with, it is the judiciary. When Kanu was in Europe abusing us and attacking his country, he should have known that he would have to account for his action. We are giving him the opportunity to defend himself in our system.
“We cannot release him. There is no possibility of political solution. You can’t be in another country and be throwing up incorrect security and economic details and not be accountable for it.”
Reacting to the president’s take on open grazing, the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, criticised Buhari for being comfortable with the insecurity that has continued to bedevil the country.
The PDP wondered why the President would not consider state policing as a way to tackle insecurity in the country.
This was contained in a statement issued by the party’s National Chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu.
A statement from Dr. Ayu’s Media Office quoted the PDP National Chairman as declaring that Buhari’s interview on Channels Television was a waste of time.
According to him, it would be futile for anyone to expect anything new from the President, saying that “it appears the continued killings in some localities of Nigeria, particularly in the North, and more specifically in President Buhari’s home state of Katsina, may not matter to him” with his statement that state police is not an option.”
He added, “As has been said by many before now, to expect anything new from our President would be a misplaced and unfortunate expectation.
“From the economy, to insecurity, killing of innocent farmers by terrorists (which some erroneously term farmer/herder clashes) and other sundry issues, President Buhari honoured his calling as a President who has nothing new to offer.”
The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation Ohanaeze Ndigbo, in its reaction said only political solution could solve the case of the detained Kanu.
Ohanaeze spokesman, Chief Alex Ogbonnia, said the group will continue negotiating with Buhari over Kanu.
His words, “Ohanaeze’s position is very clear and constant. We have looked at the whole scenario and we are convinced that Nnamdi Kanu’s case and IPOB can only be solved through a political solution. It is unfortunate that the Presidency or the president hasn’t appreciated the Ohanaeze position and by extension the Igbo position or the Igbo leadership position on this matter. But we are very confident that by time we will meet him early this year he will understand it more.”
Also, the leader of Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, faulted the President over his insistence on open grazing.
The elder statesman also called for the review of the 1999 Constitution, saying with the constitution still in operation, the country cannot attain success. According to him, Nigeria must change the constitution before conducting the 2023 General election.
His words “With all that he knows, if that is all he will say, at the end of his term (second tenure), after he had contested election on that basis, we are doomed in this country.
“How can anybody talk about that now? It is only in this clime. Anybody who is talking about grazing routes…until we change this constitution, if we go to another election, we will die under slavery.”
