President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday disclosed that he has assured the United States and European partners of his administration’s commitment to implementing state police as part of efforts to strengthen security across Nigeria.
The President made this known while addressing the 14th National Caucus meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) held at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja.
President Tinubu acknowledged concerns expressed by foreign partners over the possible abuse of state police by governors but maintained that such fears were not sufficient grounds to abandon the initiative. He said appropriate legal frameworks, safeguards and checks would be established to prevent misuse.
According to him, extensive discussions were held with United States and European officials, during which he reaffirmed Nigeria’s resolve to adopt state policing as a tool to improve internal security.
“I had a very long discussion with the U.S. and European governments. I told them clearly that we will pass state police to improve security,” the President said.
“They asked if I was confident, and I said yes. I have a party to depend on, a party that will make it happen. And if at this level we fail, God forbid, we will not fail,” he added.
President Tinubu also stressed that the responsibility for political reconciliation and internal cohesion within the APC rests on leaders at all levels, noting that flexibility, tolerance and inclusiveness are critical for stability and national progress.
Drawing attention to the recent Supreme Court judgment on local government autonomy, the President urged party leaders to support its full implementation, describing it as vital to strengthening governance at the grassroots.
He warned that autonomy would be meaningless without proper funding and insisted that allocations meant for local governments must be paid directly to them.
“Look at the recent Supreme Court judgment. There is no autonomy without a funded mandate. Give them their money directly. That is the truth, and that is compliance with the Supreme Court,” Tinubu said.
The President further called on APC leaders to take leadership responsibilities seriously, emphasizing that effective governance at the local level would help stabilise communities and deepen democratic dividends.
He also appealed for increased inclusion of women in party leadership and political participation, urging stakeholders to create deliberate pathways that would encourage more women to play active roles within the party.
The meeting was part of ongoing consultations by the ruling party aimed at strengthening internal cohesion and aligning priorities ahead of key political milestones.
