On Friday, at the 26th edition of the June 12 commemoration event themed 'June 12 in Perspective: Confronting the Existential Threat of Insecurity,' organised by the Oodua People's Congress (OPC) at Excellence Hotel, Ogba, Lagos, prominent figures advocated restructuring and electoral reforms as measures to address Nigeria's growing insecurity. The Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland and National Coordinator of the OPC, Iba Gani Adams; President of Women Arise, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin; and Prof. Femi Obayori of Lagos State University (LASU) spoke on the occasion.
Adams Calls for Decentralisation of Security
Iba Gani Adams reiterated his call for the decentralisation of Nigeria's security architecture, urging President Bola Tinubu to urgently sign the state police bill into law. He emphasised that the ideals embodied in the June 12, 1993, presidential election remain relevant to Nigeria's current security and governance challenges. Adams described the June 12 election, widely believed to have been won by the late Chief MKO Abiola, as a watershed in Nigeria's political history that symbolised the people's desire for democracy, justice, and national unity. He noted that June 12 has since evolved into a symbol of resilience, hope, and the unrelenting quest for democratic governance.
The OPC leader recalled that one of MKO Abiola's major programmes was the convocation of a Sovereign National Conference aimed at restructuring the country. Adams added that he has consistently advocated a reorganisation of Nigeria's political and governance structure to reflect the aspirations of the June 12 mandate. He argued that the country's current federal system is excessively centralised, concentrating too much authority at the federal level and contributing to regional marginalisation and uneven development.
Adams expressed concern over what he described as existential threats confronting Nigeria, including insurgency, terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, communal clashes, and political violence. He warned that the worsening security situation undermines national development and erodes public confidence in government institutions. To address these challenges, Adams advocated the establishment of state and local government police, arguing that decentralised policing would improve intelligence gathering, strengthen inter-agency cooperation, and encourage community participation in security management.
Obayori: Insecurity Greatest Threat to Nigeria
The guest speaker, Prof. Femi Obayori, a professor of Political Science at LASU, identified insecurity as the greatest threat confronting Nigeria today. He warned that the country's democratic gains and national unity are under serious risk unless urgent structural reforms are undertaken. According to him, the June 12 struggle represented far more than the conduct of a free and fair election; it embodied the ideals of popular sovereignty, justice, national unity, and good governance.
However, he lamented that the expectations of Nigerians after the return to democracy had largely been undermined by what he described as elite capture, corruption, and systemic failure. 'What Nigerians have witnessed since 1999 can be summed up as socio-economic uncertainties amid de-democratisation,' he said, adding that insecurity has become the greatest challenge threatening the nation's survival. Obayori argued that insecurity has grown beyond isolated criminal activities into an existential threat capable of undermining the authority of the state and eroding public confidence in democratic institutions.
According to him, governance failures, corruption, poverty, unemployment, weak institutions, and the collapse of civic values have combined to worsen the country's security crisis. He further criticised the economic policies of the current administration, arguing that they have deepened inequality and reinforced elite dominance instead of improving the living conditions of ordinary Nigerians. Obayori maintained that addressing insecurity requires more than military action, insisting that Nigeria must undertake fundamental constitutional and structural reforms, including genuine restructuring and fiscal federalism.
Okei-Odumakin: Nigeria Bleeding Under Insecurity
Human rights activist Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin called for the establishment of state police and comprehensive electoral reforms, warning that Nigeria's worsening insecurity threatens the country's survival and democratic future. She expressed concern over the security situation, describing it as a major challenge that requires urgent and collective action. According to her, Nigeria is 'bleeding under the heavyweight of insecurity,' stressing that the nation must strengthen its security architecture to effectively combat terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and other violent crimes.
'If we do not secure Nigeria, we will keep seeing insecurity. For us to realise the fact that those who died during the fight for democracy did not die in vain, we have to strengthen our security network and ensure that state police becomes a reality,' she said. Okei-Odumakin also called for intensified efforts to secure the release of persons still being held captive by criminal groups, insisting that Nigerians must never surrender to terror.
The rights advocate urged political actors to respect democratic principles and play by established rules to preserve the country's democratic system. She further emphasised that while state police could strengthen security across the federation, such a system must be founded on professionalism, accountability, and integrity.
