The presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has said state governors do not have the constitutional authority to issue operational directives to security agencies, despite serving as chief security officers of their states.
Makinde spoke on Friday while addressing journalists after a closed-door meeting with Bauchi State Governor and APM leader in the state, Bala Mohammed, at the Government House in Bauchi.
He explained that governors cannot issue direct instructions to the police, the Department of State Services (DSS), the military or other security agencies without approval from their national leadership, saying this highlights the need for state policing.
“I cannot give an instruction to the Commissioner of Police in the state. He will need to get approval from the Inspector-General of Police. I cannot give an instruction to the state director of security. He will need to get clearance from the Director-General of the DSS. The same applies to the military and other security agencies responsible for handling insecurity,” he said.
Makinde noted that although governors have the authority to impose curfews during security emergencies, such measures must be carefully balanced with their economic impact.
“Somebody said, ‘Oh, but you can declare curfew.’ I can declare curfew, but how does that fit with the economic activities of the people? So, we’re trying our best to work with the Federal Government,” he said.
Speaking on security in Oyo State, the governor recalled that the abduction of schoolchildren in May was the first major security breach recorded in the state after several years of relative peace.
“The insecurity you mentioned happened on May 15. For several years, we didn’t witness anything like this in Oyo State. I declared to run for the presidency at 4 p.m., and by 9 a.m. the following morning, the children were abducted. We’re still dealing with all of this. Yes, we may have to do more, and we’re trying to do more,” he added.
Makinde called for reforms to Nigeria’s security structure, insisting that governors should be granted the authority needed to match their responsibilities.
“We need to look at our architecture and ensure that where you give responsibility, you also give authority to deal with those responsibilities. That is exactly what we will do if Nigerians entrust the APM with the presidency. We will ensure that responsibility and authority go together,” he said.
He also criticised the practice of blaming governors for security failures despite their limited control over federal security agencies.
“When Chibok happened, it was the fault of President Jonathan. They went all over the world asking Jonathan to bring back the children. But when this happened, they said it was the irresponsibility of the state governor and the state government,” Makinde stated.
On his choice of a running mate for the 2027 presidential election, the APM flag bearer said consultations were still ongoing.
“Let us wait until the names are uploaded to the INEC portal. It is part of the consultation. We still have enough time, and the consultations will continue,” he said.
Responding, Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed described Makinde’s visit as part of the tradition of peer review among governors aimed at improving governance through the exchange of ideas and best practices.
“Governance is about continuous collaboration and interaction with colleagues at the sub-national and national levels to address challenges and learn from one another,” Mohammed said.
Mohammed also expressed confidence that the APM would emerge as a formidable opposition party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“The APM is growing into the next major opposition party that is repositioning itself to provide constructive opposition in the country,” he said.
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