CHRISTIAN ABURIME
Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo of Anambra State has articulated a robust vision for the recalibration of Nigeria’s federal architecture, positing that the current national discourse on state policing must transcend mere operational logistics to address the foundational imbalances within the country’s socio-political and judicial systems.
Speaking during a Town Hall appearance on Arise TV, Governor Soludo characterized the growing national consensus on the establishment of state police forces as an inevitable, progressive advancement toward a more efficacious and functional federal structure.
Governor Soludo asserted that the debate regarding the necessity of state police has effectively reached its terminal point. “The issue is no longer whether to have state police,” he declared, emphasizing that the focus of the national conversation must now shift decisively toward the modalities of implementation—the “how” of governance.
Drawing from his administrative experience in Anambra, the Governor highlighted the necessity of seamless coordination between federal, state, and private security apparatuses. However, he cautioned against isolating the security debate, framing it instead as “unfinished business” essential to establishing a sustainable federal security and justice framework.
Central to Governor Soludo’s critique of the current status quo is the persistent fiscal imbalance between the federal and subnational governments. He pointed to an increasing devolution of functions from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent List—shifting responsibilities from the Federal Government to the states without a requisite, drastic revision of the revenue allocation formula.
Governor Soludo noted that the Federal Government currently retains approximately 53% of national revenue, while states receive a cumulative 26%—averaging a mere 0.7% per state. To achieve true federalism, he advocated for a structural inversion of the fiscal pyramid- having a lean Centre where the Federal Government’s share should be capped at no more than 40%; and a base-heavy allocation, where significant resources must devolve to the subnational level, because the primary responsibilities of governance reside there.
Expanding his critique to what he called the Judicial Elephant in the room, Governor Soludo identified the nation’s legal system as the “big elephant” hindering true federalism. Despite the movement toward decentralized security, the judiciary remains “ostensibly unitary” in character, with litigation—including land disputes—often protracted through the federal appellate hierarchy for decades.
“In Anambra for example, 70 percent of cases, even those involving violence are related to land, end at the Supreme Court; sometimes, these cases last for 30 to 40 years,” the Governor observed. He advocated for profound judicial reforms, including the establishment of State Courts of Appeal and State Supreme Courts, to ensure that the judicial system mirrors the federalist ideals applied to security and correctional services.
Concluding his remarks, Governor Soludo extended commendations to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, describing the President as a “professor of federalism.” The Governor expressed optimism regarding the current trajectory of these policy conversations, affirming that as states increasingly undertake the construction of their own correctional systems, the momentum for comprehensive, multi-sectoral reform must persist.
“Let the conversation go on,” Governor Soludo urged, reiterating his commitment to a governance model that prioritizes the constitutional integrity and economic viability of Nigeria’s constituent states.