By Davidson Ogbebor

IRRUA – Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has called on Nigeria’s 36 state governors to take greater responsibility for tackling insecurity in their respective states, arguing that the nation’s security challenges can only be overcome through coordinated efforts by all levels of government.

The governor made the call during an interactive session with stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the Okaijesan Town Hall in Irrua, Esan Central Local Government Area of Edo State, over the weekend.

Speaking on the country’s security situation, Okpebholo said it was unfair to hold President Bola Ahmed Tinubu solely responsible for insecurity, stressing that governors also have a constitutional duty to protect lives and property within their states.

According to him, President Tinubu cannot be physically present in every state to address security challenges, making it imperative for state governments to assume greater responsibility for securing their territories.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu cannot come to Edo or visit all the states at the same time because he is just one person. If I protect Edo State and every other governor protects their states, insecurity will become a thing of the past,” the governor said.

Okpebholo maintained that addressing insecurity requires collective action, noting that governors must strengthen security initiatives and work closely with security agencies to safeguard their people.

He also criticised opposition politicians who previously served as vice president or state governors for blaming the current administration over insecurity, questioning what concrete measures they implemented to tackle similar challenges while they held office.

The governor said many state chief executives were making significant efforts to confront security threats and insisted that greater commitment by governors across the federation would substantially reduce criminal activities.

“Many governors are working hard to solve security challenges across the nation. Governors should take charge of their various states and address the security situation. This is what is called sub-national responsibility, and it will help solve the problem,” he added.

The governor’s remarks were contained in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Dr. Patrick Akhere Ebojele, after the APC stakeholders’ meeting in Irrua.