By Vincent Egunyanga, Abuja
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, has called on the former deputy governors to pay more attention to Security issues.
Ganduje said this on Tuesday at the Forum of Former Deputy Governors of Nigeria’s third national conference in Abuja.
He said they still have a role in the country’s development despite leaving office.
Ganduje, who was also a former Deputy Governor of Kano state before becoming governor, said they should also focus on the security situation in the country.
He particularly said, ‘We have many challenges, like the Farmers’ and herders’ clashes that resulted in cattle rustling, Banditry, and other insecurity situations in the country.’ He urged them to look at such issues.
He said there will always be a conflict bringing cattle from North Africa to Northern Nigeria, down to the Middle Belt, and even to Southern parts of the country.
He pointed out that education is critical to eliminating conflict.
He said that herding is like an animal following another animal without education.
He said they should focus more on security, not just the relationship between the governor and the deputy.
He told them that when he was governor of Kano state, he organized a conference on resolving herders’ and farmers’ clashes, which, he said, Led to the creation of the Ministry of Livestock Development by President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
In the same vein, Obong Victor Attah, former governor of Akwa Ibom State, said the 1999 constitution of Nigeria can never lead the country to Eldorado.
He said that because of that, National building is in challenging times, stressing that with the commanding structure of the military that ushered in the 1999 constitution, Nigeria’s federalism has been defiled.
He said faulty federalism is a drawback to good governance, accountability, etc.
The convener of the Forum of Former Deputy Governors, Chris Akomas, said the forum had made some progress since its inception.
He called on states to emulate the federal government by establishing a state Economic Council headed by a deputy governor, similar to the National Economic Council headed by the Vice President.
Akomas, a former deputy governor of Abia State and chairman of a forum of former Deputy Governors, said, ” Nation-building is a formidable challenge that requires unwavering commitment and innovative thinking. The role of deputy governors has historically been one of support and stabilisation of the governance structures.”
He said the conference, with the theme Strategic Solutions for Good Governance, Food Security, and Sustainable Growth in Nigeria, aims to harness the collective wisdom of our forum and fellow Nigerians to generate innovative, ground-breaking ideas and pragmatic solutions to the pressing issues of the day.
