Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Former Governor of Sokoto State and Senator representing Sokoto South, Aminu Tambuwal, has said that the move to unseat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027 is not a Northern conspiracy, as some believe, but a collective consensus by Nigerians.
Speaking during a live Channels Television programme on Friday night, Tambuwal argued that Tinubu has become increasingly unpopular among citizens due to what he described as bad governance and ill-advised policies.
The former Speaker of the House of Representatives, however, warned that it would be difficult to defeat Tinubu if key opposition figures such as Peter Obi, Atiku Abubakar, Goodluck Jonathan, Rotimi Amaechi, and Rabiu Kwankwaso refuse to unite behind a single candidate.
On Tinubu’s proposal to establish state police as part of efforts to curb insecurity, Tambuwal expressed strong support, describing it as a step in the right direction. He dismissed fears of possible misuse, insisting that Nigeria’s peculiar security challenges demand such an institution.
“I am no longer a governor but I support state police. Yes, we have federal police, but part of the problem is that when you post someone from Sokoto to Enugu, he doesn’t understand the terrain or the language. In any case, we need more boots on the ground in the police and the army,” he said.
He stressed that the success of state policing must be tied to adequate recruitment, improved welfare, and the provision of modern tools for security personnel.
“We need to recruit more hands. Their welfare and remuneration are also key. When a personnel gets killed in the field, what happens to their families? This welfare should go beyond the personnel alone,” he added.
On the controversial issue of alleged payments to bandits, Tambuwal said he was unaware of any such arrangement by the Federal Government or other actors.
