Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Former Kaduna State Governor and ex‑National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ahmed Makarfi, has called on President Bola Tinubu to declare a national state of emergency on insecurity, warning that Nigeria’s worsening security situation requires extraordinary and coordinated action across all levels of government. Makarfi made the appeal on Sunday, June 21, 2026, during an interaction with journalists at his Kaduna residence, where he also spoke on the 2027 elections, the internal crisis within the PDP, and what he described as the dangerous politicisation of the nation’s security challenges.
In remarks that painted a grim picture of the country’s security trajectory, Makarfi declared that Nigeria was “almost at a state of war, if not one”, and that the government could no longer afford to operate as though conditions were normal. “Things are not normal,” he said, adding that “the reality is that on the ground, the security challenges are becoming wider.” Rather than apportion blame, the former governor said the government should focus on practical solutions to stem the tide of insecurity. “For me, rather than criticising, I choose to offer advice. Because criticising itself doesn’t solve a problem,” he said, urging President Tinubu to work with state governments to declare a national emergency on security. “Governance should change so that number one, two and three priorities are security, in all facets,” Makarfi stated. “You can’t be talking about rural electrification now, or so many things, when we have these security challenges.”
Makarfi argued that meaningful economic recovery would remain elusive until the country succeeded in tackling its security challenges. “People talk about economic issues and other concerns, but in my view, once substantial progress is made in restoring security, economic activities will blossom and economic hardship will lessen,” he said. “If I were to set priorities, security would come first because it has positive multiplier effects on virtually every other sector.” The former governor expressed concern over what he described as the inability of the government to significantly reduce insecurity, questioning the effectiveness of current approaches. “We shouldn’t be reading, ‘we have a repeat attack, we have a repeat attack.’ The report should be, ‘they are running away, they are running away. We have cornered them, we have arrested them’,” Makarfi said.
To reverse the trend, Makarfi called for stronger collaboration among federal, state and local governments, as well as enhanced manpower, training, equipment and logistics for security agencies. “You can’t deal with the security issue without massive manpower enhancement in numbers, training of security forces, equipping them and all other logistics,” he said. He stressed that the Federal Government and state governments must jointly commit resources to recruit, train and equip security personnel while improving operational strategies.
Makarfi also urged political actors to avoid politicising insecurity, noting that the crisis affects all Nigerians irrespective of party affiliation. “Security, in particular, should not be politicised. If people outside government raise concerns or offer suggestions on security matters, government should not dismiss them as mere politics. Likewise, those in opposition should not celebrate insecurity simply because they believe it could improve their electoral prospects,” he said. According to him, insecurity affects every Nigerian and should serve as a rallying point for national unity. “Nigeria has reached a point where we need to collectively define our national priorities and address them together while maintaining our separate political identities and democratic competition,” he said.
On the 2027 elections, Makarfi cautioned against attempts to deregister political parties, describing such moves as unnecessary and potentially politically motivated. “I don’t support the deregistration of these political parties. Even if there is any legal reason, it has been left too late, and people will be right to read political meaning into it,” he said. “My personal view is that no political party should be deregistered. All those who have complied with INEC’s published guidelines should be allowed to participate in the 2027 election.” He also warned that political activities must not distract governments from their primary responsibility of governance, urging political parties to focus on presenting credible alternatives, articulating clear policies and addressing the concerns of Nigerians rather than merely engaging in political manoeuvring.
Addressing the crisis within the PDP, Makarfi called for reconciliation among aggrieved members, insisting that unity and due process remain essential for the party’s survival. “I am not a factional person; I am a PDP person. What I work for is PDP. The issue is not about any individual; it is about what the law says and what INEC recognises,” he said. Despite internal challenges, he expressed confidence in the future of the PDP, describing it as a deep‑rooted political party not centred on any individual. “Absolutely, PDP has a future. Among all the political parties, I think the PDP, because it is deep‑rooted and not built around any individual, will endure,” he said.
The calls for a state of emergency on insecurity have been echoed by various civil society groups and political figures in recent weeks. On June 18, the Arewa Consultative Forum called on President Tinubu to declare a national security emergency, warning that the worsening wave of terrorism, banditry and kidnappings across the North‑West and North‑Central regions was threatening lives and livelihoods. On June 15, the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) also urged the President to declare a national emergency on insecurity, citing the abduction of retired Major General Rabe Abubakar and his subsequent death in captivity as a “tragic symbol” of systemic security failures. The Presidency has yet to issue an official response to Makarfi’s latest call.
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