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The creation of the state police will go a long way in helping to tackle the present insecurity facing the country, a renowned broadcaster and Nigeria’s former Ambassador to the Philippines, Chief Yemi Farounbi has declared.
In an interview with TUNDE THOMAS, the former diplomat noted that the creation of the state police will complement the current efforts being made by the Nigeria Police and other security agencies aimed at addressing security challenges facing the country.
He was also emphatic in his condemnation of the Muslim-Muslim ticket announced by the Presidential candidate of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He also spoke on other national issues.
Looking at the presidential candidates of different political parties, are you satisfied with the calibre of those that have emerged?
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with about 800 delegates at her national convention in Abuja chose former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as her presidential candidate while the All Progressives Congress (APC) and her 2200 delegates at their national convention chose Ahmed Bola Tinubu as presidential candidate. So with less than 3000 delegates, the two major parties are presenting two candidates on behalf of 205 million people. What kind of democracy is that? One would have expected the direct primaries where the vulgar purchase of delegates would have been impossible. Second is the unwritten understanding in Nigeria since the tragic annulment done in 1993 that power will rotate from North to South and vice versa to guarantee equal access to power to all Nigerians.
The PDP chose to deliberately violate this unwritten understanding. The PDP chose to violate a fundamental principle underlying its formation in 1998. How can a party that cannot be trusted to respect its own laws, and which will violate national understanding, be trusted with power? In summary, it cannot be said that the two parties threw up their best, given the vulgar monetization of the process. However, it’s to the credit of APC that it respected the rotation arrangement and understanding. The party should be lauded for upholding the principle of rotation of power. This is what I expected the PDP to do but unfortunately, the party failed to do so.
What is your reaction to the recent killings in the country especially the one at the Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo Stat, and others across the country?
The Catholic Church killing is tragic and sad. It’s evidence that the Nigerian Government has lost both the ability and the will to guarantee the security of lives and property of Nigerians. The Federal Government admitted that the massacre was carried out by the Islamic State of West Africa Province. The ISWAP does not recognise the existence of Nigeria nor its sovereignty. To my mind, ISWAP is a more dangerous threat to Nigeria because it doesn’t respect her authority and its democracy. ISWAP represents a violent militant of Islamisation. And the Owo tragedy, among many others, suggests that Nigeria is a country waiting to be swept away by the Islamisation gale.
This is tragic because ISWAP is a more dangerous and poisonous plant than IPOB and Oduduwa Republic threats. Unfortunately, one doesn’t see the same level of aggressive actions and containment with which the Federal Government deals the apostles of secession in its handling of ISWAP all over Nigeria. It is for that reason, with its acts of commission and omission, that some people began to see elements of the Federal Government as collaborators or aiders and abetters of ISWAP, ISGS, Boko Haram or whatever name the terrorists are called.
However, the present state of insecurity across the country has become a source of serious national and international concerns. The Federal Government must rise up to the occasion. Insecurity has become a serious threat, and the issue must be tackled frontally now. The insecurity issue must be accorded top priority. The nation is bleeding as a result of insecurity, and this is why the needful must be done now.
There is too much bloodshed across the country. This is not the nation envisioned by the nation’s founding fathers. The Federal Government must buckle up by ensuring that adequate steps are taken to tackle the issue frontally.
What’s your take on INEC’s level of preparedness to conduct a free, fair election in 2023?
Although the timing of the announcement of the shift of deadlines for primaries gave some people reasons to begin to doubt the independence and impartiality of the Independent National Election Commission (INEC), one action is not enough to allow one to make a categorical declaration on the competence and independence of INEC. INEC postponed the presidential election in 2015, and still performed creditably. We should not give up on INEC but we should put them under surveillance.
What is your advice to INEC as the nation prepares for the 2023 polls?
My advice to INEC is that INEC must in deed, action and truth demonstrate that it’s an unbiased, independent and impartial electoral umpire. It must avoid inconsistency and policy somersaults that will give people the impression that it’s working for and with any political party. As the electoral umpire, INEC must remain neutral, and not only that it must discharge its duties without bias, fear, or favour. INEC must remain an impartial arbiter. All other stakeholders, including political parties, candidates and voters must also cooperate with the electoral body to enable it to discharge its duties.
There have been mixed reactions to the Muslim-Muslim ticket announced by the APC. What’s your reaction?
Once again, just like the maintenance of a balance between the North and South is an unwritten rule, maintaining a balance between Muslims and Christians in the distribution of political power is an unwritten rule. It will help foster unity in the country, and because of the peculiar sensitivity of religion in Nigeria, it has been accepted that a politically correct ticket will either be a Muslim/Christian or Christian/Muslim. It will be considered insensitive and incorrect to have a Muslim/Muslim or Christian/Christian ticket. It is worse given the recent exacerbation of ISWAP, ISGS, and BOKO HARAM activities that had awoken the sensitivity and fears of Christians. Everything must be done to give all Nigerians a sense of belonging. Everything must be done to address the genuine fears of the people. Everything must be done to wipe off the tears of the people. In the present circumstance, having a Muslim/ Muslim ticket is insensitive. It is not ideal.
What is your position on the creation of state police as some Nigerians are canvassing for it in the wake of the present security challenges facing the country?
I believe that a country with an area of one million square kilometres, 205 million people, 36 states, 774 local government areas and over 250 ethnic nations is too large and complex to have a centralised monolithic police formation. What we need is not just a decentralisation of the police system. What we need is the creation of a truly federal police structure. Under this, there will be the Nigeria Police all over Nigeria to enforce federal laws. There will be state police to enforce state laws. There will be local government laws. Under this truly federal police architecture, policing the nation will be easier. Police officers and men at the state and local government levels will be indigenous to the states or local governments. They will understand the language and culture of the people. They will know and understand the terrain they are policing. Under a true and genuine federal structure, State police is recognised. Having state police will go a long way in helping us to tackle the security challenge. State police will complement the efforts of other security agencies. To me, state police is not only a good idea but also an idea that should be promoted and supported. It will help to enhance the nation’s security architecture.
What is your advice to the political parties and candidates ahead of the 2023 polls?
The political parties and candidates should explain their vision and mission to the electorate. The election in 2023 should not be seen as a do-or-die affair. They should let the electorate fully understand their agenda for moving the nation forward.
They should also be able to explain in a convincing manner to the electorate and the people about their competence, ability, experience and expertise in doing the job. They should be able to tell Nigerians what makes them different from the crowd of contestants.
They should let the electorate have a genuine profile of their character from the point of view of their ability to form and lead a team, integrity, reliability, godliness, self-discipline, selflessness, and humility.
The electorate must make an informed choice, not on the basis of money, language, or religion but on the basis of the quality of vision, competency, and character.
Like I said earlier, 2023 should not be seen as a do-or-die affair. Parties and candidates must play the game according to the rules. They must eschew violence. They should engage in robust debates and campaigns. Then public office must be seen as an avenue to serve and not to loot. Serving and intending public office holders must always have this at the back of their minds. It is only when they have this at the back of their mind that the nation can move forward.
