[GIST] Removal Of State Police From Constitutional Amendment Is Disservice To Nigeria ― Gani Adams
The Aare Onakakanfo of Yoruba land, Iba Gani Adams, has condemned the removal of State Police from the constitutional Amendment procedure by the National Assembly.
Adams on Monday asserted that it was a disservice to the nation, noting that the prolonged spate of insecurity in the country made the demand for state police a necessity.
This was made known in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Mr Kehinde Aderemi, adding that he had a strong feeling from the beginning that the lawmakers would not come out with anything that reflected the overall interest of the people.
He alleged selfishness of the Senate, declaring that not much could be achieved with the ongoing constitutional amendment, which he said was mired in unnecessary politicking.
The Yoruba generalissimo explained that what the lawmakers did with the amendment amounted to an open display of politics and selfishness, saying Nigerians were always at the receiving end of such attitude.
He stressed that the constitutional Amendment process had exposed the lawmakers, saying they were there at the two chambers to seek amendments to issues that were personal to them, such as “immunity, life pension and other paraphernalia of the offices, forgetting that they are at the National Assembly to seek the well- being of the people or the constituency they represent.”
“Ordinarily, I knew from the beginning that nothing tangible and nothing worthwhile will come out of the constitutional amendment process that is shrouded in bias and unnecessary politicking.
“With the removal of State Police from the constitutional Amendment procedure, it is obvious that none of the National Assembly members is a worthy representative of the people. It is an open display of politics and selfishness, and Nigerians are always at the receiving end.
“The Red Chamber didn’t consider the need for a State Police, which could have helped in addressing the pressing security challenges we face daily as a nation.
“Their plan was to hide under the cover of the law to improve their political leverage and boost their interests and nothing more.
“The security situation is a major challenge in the country and the Senate decided to look the other way, by removing State Police from the constitutional amendment process.
“Security is a major issue across the country. However, the demand for State Police is one of the yearnings of Nigerians that cut across ethnic nationalities, and without it, the constitutional Amendment process is purely an exercise in futility, and the National Assembly would not be able to achieve its desired objectives, except for some politicians that are doing everything within their powers to protect their political interests,” Adams said.
