•Police trainees
Chieftain of All Progressive Congress APC, Dr. Garus Gololo, has berated agitators of the establishment of the State Police Department, describing it as a move to empower State Governors to fight their political opponents.
Dr. Gololo, who spoke in an exclusive interview in Abuja, advised the Tinubu-led administration to be mindful of the danger inherent and to avoid the bananas peels, reports Daily Sun.
He further warned on the need for the administration to be focused on those things affecting the masses directly.
He said, “Let me remind us that the country is going bananas due to the high rate of inflation. I think they should be able to ensure that they give local government the autonomy it deserves to be able to curb insecurity problems emanating from the hinterlands”.
Further speaking, he observed that there are several underlying issues that the National Assembly should as a matter of fact address before the agitation for state police becomes meaningful.
“The National Assembly first of all ensures that the local government authority has this autonomy it seeks. We all knew that state governors have always blocked the move.
“We should also ask the state governors to render an account of how they spent the 5bn naira subsidy palliative given to them. We knew that the sharing became a party affair in several states.
“We are also aware that only two states out of 36 and FCT of the federation pay successfully the 30,000 naira minimum wage. Others have remained elusive”.
The former BOT member of the APC further recommended that state police should not be a priority to states that cannot pay teachers’ salaries successfully.
“There are basic things Nigeria should declare a state of emergency of. Such as education, food security as well as fight against insecurity. If you travel to many states of the Federation, you would discover that teachers are being owed and these are the same Governors conversing for additional overhead costs to accommodate state police. “This I believe would aid more crimes because when they fail to pay salaries they would use the guns and find means of feeding themselves. We know that if state governors get the control of the police under them, some of us might not be able to travel to our states again because my state Governor does not like me”.
Dr Gololo, reacting to news making the round on the campaign promises of Mr. President, remarked that he never at any time promised the establishment of state police, rather he promised removal of fuel subsidy, which he did.
“I can tell you this because I was with him throughout his campaign period, he never said such, this kite is being flown by enemies of democracy. Those who never loved this country.”
