By Deborah Hassan
365Daily – Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has asked President Muhammadu Buhari not to pass down his constitutional responsibility of providing security for Nigerians to Governors.
He said as President Buhari is the Commander-in-Chief of the Federation because he has command over all the security forces in the country as conferred by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Tambuwal was responding to President Buhari’s challenge to state Governors to handle insecurity challenges in their domains as Chief Executive Officers.
A statement issued by the Special Adviser to the Sokoto State Governor, Muhammad Bello, on Thursday, June 16, 2021, said Tambiwal said this while addressing a gathering of youths under the aegis of the National Youths Council of Nigeria (NYCN) in an event to commemorate the 2021 Democracy Day at the International Conference Centre, Kasarawa, Sokoto State.
According to Bello, the Governor also noted pointedly that the Constitution puts the issue of security under the Exclusive legislative List of the Federal Government.
He queried: “Who is the Commander-in-Chief?”
Tambuwal further wondered why “the President blames Governors for what is ab initio his duty,” adding that as Governor, if he gives a particular directive to the Garrison Commander, Director SSS, or any Commander in the paramilitary forces, they will have to clear from Abuja before carrying out such an order.
He explained that the heads of security agencies must report to the President who is the Commander-in-Chief as stipulated by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Therefore, he continued, the President should address the prevailing security challenges in the country with Governors complimenting and supporting whatever effort is being made by the Federal Government in re-establishing security in the respective states.
”All the Governors are working tirelessly towards complimenting him (the President), the Service Chiefs, and the service personnel that are on ground,” he disclosed.
Tambuwal, who also doubles as the Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) and the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party Governors Forum (PDP-GF), stressed that Nigeria is a great ccountry whose unity is fundamental.
The Governor said it was imperative to nurture and harness the potentials of its teeming youths for the responsibility of leading today and tomorrow.
He further said it is to this end that his administration has been investing in education and agriculture so as to give Sokoto youths the competitive advantage of not only being responsible citizens, but also being versatile global citizens.
Tambuwal, however, lamented that farming has now become precarious due to the challenges of funding and insecurity.