Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo has called for comprehensive reforms to Nigeria’s federal structure, saying the push for state police should be accompanied by fiscal and judicial reforms to strengthen governance and deepen federalism.
According to a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Christian Aburime, Soludo said the national conversation had moved beyond whether Nigeria should establish state police and should now focus on developing an effective implementation framework.
“The issue is no longer whether to have state police,” the governor said, stressing that attention should shift to how the system would operate effectively within Nigeria’s federal arrangement.
He said security reforms must be complemented by broader institutional changes, emphasising the need for stronger coordination among federal, state, and private security agencies.
Soludo also highlighted what he described as longstanding fiscal imbalances between the Federal Government and the states, noting that responsibilities had increasingly shifted from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent Legislative List without corresponding adjustments to the revenue allocation formula.
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He said the Federal Government currently retains about 53 percent of national revenue, while the 36 states collectively receive about 26 percent, arguing that the current distribution undermines effective service delivery at the subnational level.
The governor advocated a review of the revenue-sharing formula, proposing that the Federal Government’s share should not exceed 40 percent, with greater fiscal resources devolved to the states, where he said most governance responsibilities are discharged.
On judicial reforms, Soludo described Nigeria’s largely centralised judicial system as a major impediment to true federalism, noting that many cases, particularly land disputes, spend decades in the appellate system before reaching final determination.
He said that in Anambra State, about 70 percent of court cases, including those involving violent crimes linked to land disputes, eventually end at the Supreme Court, with some lasting between 30 and 40 years.
To improve the administration of justice, the governor proposed the establishment of State Courts of Appeal and State Supreme Courts, arguing that the judiciary should reflect the same federal principles being considered for policing and correctional services.
Soludo also commended President Bola Tinubu for advancing discussions on federal restructuring, describing him as “a professor of federalism.”
He expressed optimism that ongoing reforms, including moves by states to develop their own correctional facilities, would drive broader constitutional and institutional changes.
The governor urged stakeholders to sustain dialogue on restructuring, maintaining that comprehensive reforms are necessary to strengthen Nigeria’s federal system and enhance the capacity of state governments to deliver effective governance.
