A former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations, Chief Emeka Anyaoku; Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Director, Oba (Dr.) Sikiru Adetona Institute of Governance Studies, Department of Political Science, Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, Prof. Ayo Olukotun and others, yesterday, called for decentralisation of the country’s structure and state policing system to engender good governance.

They made the call at the 11th Chief Emeka Anyaoku Awards/Lecture Series on Good Governance organised by the Youth Affairs International Foundation and held at IACD Library and Resource Centre, Ibadan, with the theme: “Imperative of Good Governance in Nigeria.’’

Anyaoku said that the present system would not lead the country to anywhere near its dreams, adding that decentralising the management of security to much more manageable was imperative.

He said: “I will urge my compatriots to study the manifesto that the contestants will produce carefully and vote for those they believe will carry out their promises.”

Olukotun, who spoke on the theme: “Nigeria’s Elusive Search for Good Governance,” said: “We need to decentralise and include state police in our system.

“Rationality must be brought to bear on public sector finances and encompassing the husbanding of our resources to achieve maximum results. Obviously, something has gone awry. Our security institutions are in need of re-formulation so that they become more result-oriented, capable and savvy. In spite of a new offensive by security institutions, the coast is not yet clear, and much remains to be done.

“This cannot happen in the absence of decentralisation in the shape of state police.

“Good governance begins with the right of the people to choose how they are governed and by who.”
On his part, Makinde said that decentralisation, state police and local council autonomy are very germane in the country.

A former National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, who was chairman of the event, lauded the efforts of Anyaoku in ensuring a peaceful transition in 2015.

Another guest lecturer, Dr. Uchay Odims, said Nigerians, especially the youths, needed to take back their country by voting right in 2023.