By, Ebute A. Mathew, Kaduna
…says, current fuel scarcity caused by saboteurs
As Nigerian governors are agitating for state police, Director-General of Amalgamated APC Support Groups, Engr. Kailani Muhammad has condemned the agitation, saying that the Country is not yet ripe for State Police.
Muhammad who is also the National Chairman of Tinubu Support Network (TSN) during a press conference in Kaduna, at the weekend said, allowing state governors, some of whom act like demi-gods to have control over a police force, would be suicidal to Nigeria’s democracy.
According to the APC Chieftain, “It is clear to all Nigerians that State Governors’ mindset are yet to adjust to the true principles of democracy, where it is the Government of the People, by the people and for the People.
“It is instructive to note that, most of our State Governors believe they are demi- gods, and truly act as such. Once they take the Oath of Office, they abandon all tenets and principles of democracy, that essentially brought them to office.
“The problem is complex. Therefore, to avail the Nigerian state governor, the powers to control an entire State Police under his sole authority, could be suicidal to Nigerian democracy.
“Even now when the Police structure is not under their supervision, some state governors still attempt to resort to the Police Commands in their states to coerce the electorate during elections to toe their political paths during voting.
“Presently, some state governors are finding it difficult to pay staff salaries, so where will they get the money to pay State Police when they solely rely on federal government allocation without recourse to the diverse natural resources in their states to improve their Internally Generate Revenue (IGR)?
“There is a constructive argument that state governors might use State Police to intimidate, blackmail and victimize Nigerians either for political, ethnic, tribal or social gains for themselves, to the detriment of the state,” he argued.
Muhammad said, Nigeria cannot afford to copyright the United States of America, Great Britain, Germany or any other country on the issue of State Police, because Nigeria is not ready for it now.
On the fuel scarcity, Engr. Muhammad said it was caused by petroleum products marketers, who have devised a cunning strategy to defraud and inflict hardship on the citizenry, by hoarding petroleum products, and damned the consequences on the citizenry.
“The Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO), Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL), has come out categorically and assured Nigerians that there is enough petroleum products to service Nigeria for a long time to come.
“So, those behind this manufactured fuel scarcity should be fished out and sanctioned accordingly, to serve as a deterrent to others. This country belongs to all of us. We must collectively work hard to salvage it together.