Yusuf Gagdi, a member of the house of representatives, says governors’ handling of state independent electoral commissions (SIECs) proves they cannot be trusted with control of state police.

The lawmaker, who represents Pankshin/Kanam/Kanke federal constituency of Plateau state, spoke against proposals to create state police as part of the ongoing review of the 1999 Constitution.

President Bola Tinubu and several governors have backed the idea, saying state police could help combat Nigeria’s worsening insecurity, including kidnappings, banditry, and other violent crimes. Tinubu said earlier this month, “I am reviewing all the aspects of security; I have to create state police. We are looking at that holistically.”

‘Governors don’t allow opposition at LG level’

Gagdi argued that state governors’ control of SIECs has shown consistent bias, with opposition parties routinely shut out of local government elections.

“No matter how you describe it, INEC has conducted elections in Nigeria where you have opposition governors,” he said.

“There is no election conducted by INEC that the opposition does not win more than 10 of the 36 states in the federation. But tell me one state in Nigeria where the state independent electoral commission conducts elections, and you have two percent of the members of the legislative arm of government at the local government level. Mention one.”

He continued: “Mention one state governor who conducted an election, and you have two percent of the members of the local legislative council won by the opposition. Tell me one state, including my APC states, that you have one or two local government council chairmen that the opposition members win.”

According to Gagdi, this shows INEC is more transparent than SIECs. “Now, if the governors cannot handle a state-independent commission fairly, how will you trust them with the power to control AK-47s at the state level?”

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‘Strengthen community policing, not create state police’

The lawmaker warned that governors could weaponise state police against political opponents.

“How do you think he (the governor) will use state police? If you give him civil power to conduct elections and he uses it militarily, what if you give him military power?” Gagdi asked.

Instead, he called for strengthening of community policing structures already provided for in the Police Act, which he said give communities a role in nominating representatives at local, state, and federal levels.

“We have community policing in the present Police Act. Why can’t we strengthen the community policing?” he asked.

He explained that under the Act, community policing councils are chaired by traditional rulers at the local government level, while at the state level, the commissioner of police and council of chiefs jointly oversee the structure.

Gagdi argued that combining federal policing with empowered community policing would provide more effective security than granting governors control of state police.