The spokesperson for the Peter Obi-led Obidient Movement, Olokwo Bienoseh Mathew, has reaffirmed that the creation of state police remains the most effective solution to Nigeria’s worsening insecurity challenges.
Mr Mathew made the assertion during a live political town hall debate hosted by VOP Media on Friday, where political representatives of major parties and movements debated governance, insecurity, and economic reforms ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He argued that a Peter Obi presidency in 2027 would prioritize a complete restructuring of Nigeria’s security architecture, including the decentralization of policing powers to the state level in order to better combat banditry, kidnapping, and terrorism.
Mr Mathew insisted that a decentralised policing system would improve intelligence gathering, rapid response, and local security coordination.
“We are talking about rejigging the security to the extent of having a state police. That state police is a panacea to stopping this problem, and that is what my principal will do exactly.” He said.
He maintained that Nigeria’s current centralized security structure is no longer effective in addressing modern security threats.
“You cannot continue doing the same thing over and over and expect a different result. Definitely, you need to rejig the security architecture as we have it currently. We are not leveraging enough on technology.”
Defence of Peter Obi’s governance record
Mr Mathew defended Mr Peter Obi’s record as former Governor of Anambra State, citing what he described as strong performance in education and human capital development.
He claimed that Anambra recorded one of the lowest out-of-school children rates in Nigeria at 2.9%, presenting it as evidence of effective governance under Obi’s leadership.
He also emphasized the Labour Party’s broader economic vision, particularly in agriculture and diversification.
“Peter Obi has never hidden his intention to diversify the economy, particularly into agriculture, because we understand that any economy that builds on agriculture is the most sustainable one.”
Exchange over security accountability
During the debate, Mr Mathew was challenged over allegations linked to security operations during Peter Obi’s tenure as governor, particularly concerns surrounding the activities of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) at the time.
In response, he argued that Nigerian governors operate under a constitutionally constrained security framework and do not have direct operational control over federal police formations or other security agencies.
He described this limitation as a structural flaw in Nigeria’s governance system, which an Obi-led administration would seek to address through constitutional reforms establishing state police
Background
The town hall, organized by VOP Media, brought together representatives of the APC, Obidient Movement, Labour-aligned voices, and other political blocs to debate insecurity, governance, and Nigeria’s political direction ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The call for state policing remains a major national policy debate, with supporters arguing it will strengthen grassroots security, while critics warn of possible political misuse at the state level.
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