Peter Ameh, the National Secretary of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), has suggested that the implementation of state police could serve as a test run for achieving true federalism in Nigeria, thereby addressing the country’s security challenges and enhancing political stability.
Speaking in Abuja on Thursday, Ameh, a former national chairman of the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC), highlighted that the centralization of authority under the current unitary federalism, imposed both before and in the 1999 constitution as amended, has hindered Nigeria’s economic and democratic growth, contributing to the prevailing insecurity in the country.
He stated, “Let us begin on the premise that every crime is local; the law preventing such crimes and their enforcement should be local too. The challenges are local and thus require local solutions. I am of the opinion that state police should be the starting point for restructuring the country, which Nigeria has been yearning for in the last 54 years.”
He also cautioned against potential abuse of power by state governors, emphasizing the need for well-drafted legislation to prevent such abuse. Ameh expressed concern based on the actions of state governors in hindering the smooth operation of state independent electoral commissions (SIECs) during local elections.
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Regarding the internal conflicts within political parties, Ameh suggested that resolving internal conflicts within parties requires adherence to internal democratic processes and the use of appropriate party organs.
