President Bola Tinubu has reiterated his push for the establishment of state police across the 36 states in Nigeria.
The President made this known on Thursday while speaking at the 14th National Caucus meeting of the APC at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, disclosing that he had given assurances to the United States and European partners that his administration would implement the reform.
He maintained that state police “must happen” as part of broader efforts to address Nigeria’s security challenges and deepen governance at the subnational level.
Tinubu also insisted that local government autonomy must be made to work in practice.
He urged governors to stop withholding funds allocated to local government councils and their chairpersons.
The President’s remarks came against the backdrop of worsening insecurity nationwide, growing calls for decentralised policing, and renewed pressure to implement the Supreme Court judgment granting financial autonomy and direct allocations to local governments.
Addressing party leaders, Tinubu said the APC, as the majority party, must demonstrate leadership through reconciliation, accommodation and flexibility at the grassroots, while calling on governors and other stakeholders to take responsibility for developments in their states and local councils.
He added that he had recently engaged with foreign partners and assured them that Nigeria would move towards state policing, expressing confidence that the APC would provide the necessary political support to drive the reform.
“I had a very long discussion with the US and European partners. I was bragging to them that definitely we will pass a state police to improve security. They asked me if I’m confident, and I said, ‘Yes, I have a party to depend on. I have a party that will make it happen,’” he said.
“And if at this level we fail, God forbid, we will not fail. I think the reconciliation, the accommodation, the flexibility, is in your hand, all of you, and we are the majority. We are the leaders.”
The President argued that the responsibility for political reconciliation and internal party cohesion rested with leaders at all levels, stressing that flexibility and tolerance were essential for stability and progress.
He also called attention to the recent Supreme Court judgment on local government autonomy, urging party leaders to support its implementation and use it to strengthen grassroots governance.
According to the President, autonomy would be meaningless if councils were not adequately funded, insisting that allocations meant for local governments must go directly to them.
“Look at the recent Supreme Court judgment, what can we do with it, and how well we can position our country and our party?” he asked.
“To me, the local government autonomy, it is and must be effective. There is no autonomy without a funded mandate; give them their money directly.”
“That’s the truth. That’s compliance of the Supreme Court,” Tinubu insisted.
