Sanwo-Olu, Gbenga Daniel, Lai Mohammed commend Tinubu efforts in tackling insecurity

Sanwo-Olu, Gbenga Daniel, Lai Mohammed commend Tinubu efforts in tackling insecurity

By Our Reporter

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Senator Gbenga Daniel and former Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed have commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the steps taken so far to fight insecurity in the country, stressing that issues of security will shape the 2027 General Elections.

Governor Sanwo-Olu, Gbenga Daniel and the former minister stated this while speaking at the 7th yearly lecture of Freedom Online, held at the Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos on Thursday on the theme, "2027 elections, Economy, Security and Nigeria's Future."

Sanwo-Olu, who was the Special Guest Speaker at the event, said in communities where banditry and insurgency persist, insecurity touches everything, and will determine whether a candidate can campaign or the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) can move in voting materials or whether voters will come out to vote.

The governor said another issue is the mater of perception as, according to him, people vote on how safe they feel.

"And I believe Nigerians can see, because they are not blind, that this president has taken the security of this country as seriously as any Commander -in- Chief since 1999.

"Consider what has been done in three years. In July, the president approved the expansion of the Nigerian Army from eight divisions to twelve, with 28,000 additional personnel and new divisional headquarters in Markudi, Ilorin, Jalingo and Benin City, closer to the theatres where they are needed," he explained.

Governor Sanwo-Olu stated that in order for insecurity to be reduced to the bearest minimum  the president supported the Bill for the creation of State Police, an initiative he said Lagos State had long started by setting up Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF), whereby contributions from private sector and the state are put together to equip the police and other agencies that keep the state safe.

The governor affirmed that the move by President Tinubu to reduce insecurity had also improved the economy, saying that available records had shown that the nations economy had grown from 3.89 percent to 4.43percent,while the agric sector had grown to 4.6 percent from 2.82 percent.

In his speech Alhaji Mohammed, who was the Chairman of the Occasion, said it is important to note, first, that security is the precondition for economic growth, pointing out that no business thrives in an atmosphere of uncertainty, and no foreign or local investor deploys capital where safety cannot be guaranteed.

The former minister further noted that political space becomes far less susceptible to manipulation and electoral violence when young people are gainfully employed and see a clear path to self-actualisation.

"No business thrives in an atmosphere of uncertainty, and no foreign or local investor deploys capital where safety cannot be guaranteed. In turn, political stability depends on economic inclusion. 

"When young people are gainfully employed and see a clear path to self-actualisation, the political space becomes far less susceptible to manipulation and electoral violence

For seven years running, Freedom Online has kept faith with a simple but increasingly rare commitment: to inform without fear and to provoke thought without malice. 

"Second, the 2027 elections must be viewed not merely as a contest for power, but as a commitment to continuity and nation-building. Politics must never be allowed to override governance. The real measure of our democratic progress is whether our electoral outcomes strengthen institutions, bolster investor confidence and guarantee peace across our communities.

"The efforts being made by the administration to stabilise the economy, attract investment, improve security and create a more sustainable foundation for growth deserve constructive engagement from all stakeholders," he stated.

Speaking further, Mohammed noted that the media had a crucial role to play in the sustenance of democracy, saying that the media is not merely an observer of national events, but also an important participant in shaping the national conversation.

"Having spent a considerable part of my public life in public communication, I have come to appreciate that the media is not merely an observer of national events. It is an important participant in shaping the national conversation. 

"In an election season, that responsibility becomes even greater. The media has the power to inform citizens, interrogate claims, expose falsehoods and provide a platform for competing ideas," he said.

Senator Daniel, who is also former governor of Ogun State, equally submitted Nigeria cannot have a strong economy without security, adding that the country cannot have lasting security without a strong economy as, according to him, the two are inseparable.

He, however, explained that Nigeria's economy had recorded encouraging signs, including growth of 4.43 per cent in the second quarter of 2026, with agriculture and services showing improvement. 

Senator Daniel further explained that the true test of economic progress is not only what appears in GDP figures, but what Nigerians experienced in their daily lives.

"Security is not merely a matter for the military, police and other agencies. It is also an essential part of economic infrastructure," he said.

The Aare Onakakanfo of Yoruba land, Iba Gani Adams, in his remark, also highlighted the need to address the insecurity ravaging the country in order to grow the nation's economy.

Iba Adams said to ensure that, there is need for partnership, but quickly noted that most of the governors wre not cooperating, describing security as a collective effort. 

The Yoruba generalissimo, however, reiterated his call for the establishment of State Police, saying that insecurity in the country would be substantially addressed within six once the outfit is put in place.

He, therefore, urged President Tinubu and the State Houses of Assembly to expedite action and get the Bill passed and signed into law.

Also speaking, the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) Governorship Candidate in Ogun State, Ladi Adebutu, said there was the need to strengthen the institutions and ensure transparent elections as prerequisites for democratic development, insisting that it is the only way the nation's economy will grow, and attract investors.

The PDP standard bearer argued that institutions must be strengthened and allowed to function effectively to restore citizens’ confidence in the political system, even as he expressed concern about capital flight and the polarising effect of elections, while stressing the need for political leaders and citizens to speak truth to power.

We need to have transparent elections. Elections have further polarised us. Our institutions should be strengthened so that people will have confidence in the system.

“We must speak truth to power. We have no other country. We believe in the country,” he stated.

Publisher of Freedom Online, Mr. Gabriel Akinadewo, in his opening remark, said the reason for the annual lecture was to draw a line between governance and politics, noting that Nigeria go into  four- year cycle of election, but there is no four- year cycle of development.

Akinadewo called for the establishment of State Police, describing insecurity as a “monster” that required urgent and innovative solutions, just as he also called for the modernisation of Nigeria’s laws to reflect contemporary realities.

“In Nigeria, every four years, we have a full cycle of election but there is no four-year cycle of development. We are here to draw a line between governance and politics. Where does politics stop? Where does development start?” he asked.

"We are here to draw a line between governance and politics. When does politics stop? When does development start? When are we going to stop playing politics with development? In a few months, exactly May 29, 2027, Nigeria will have 28 years of unbroken civilian administration, which is a milestone in history of the most populous black nation.

"It can be argued that politically the country is forging ahead, but what of other sectors? The task before us today is very simple. We can't continue to use the system adopted in the 60s to govern Nigeria of 2026 and beyond. By 2027, we must modernize our laws to adapt to the challenges of the 21st century," Akinadewo stated.