Lawmakers start examining proposed state police legislation section by section

The House of Representatives has commenced a clause-by-clause examination of President Bola Tinubu's executive bill, which seeks to establish state police, with lawmakers indicating a potential adoption of the Senate-passed version with minor adjustments.

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Deputy Speaker of the House and Chairman of the Constitution Review Committee, Benjamin lu, stated that the House would utilize the work done by the Senate to expedite the passage of this priority constitutional amendment aimed at strengthening Nigeria's security architecture.

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Lu recalled that the House had previously passed its own Constitution Alteration Bill on State Police on June 11, before proceeding on recess, but rescinded this decision on July 14, following the transmission of President Tinubu's executive bill.

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According to Lu, the President, as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, is best positioned to initiate comprehensive security reforms capable of addressing the country's evolving security challenges.

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The executive bill has already passed first and second readings in the House, and the extensive stakeholder engagement held during the National Assembly Open Week fulfilled the public hearing requirement for the legislation.

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Lu emphasized that the committee's responsibility is to carefully scrutinize the legislation and ensure that it reflects the aspirations and expectations of the Nigerian people, noting that the committee comprises all members, not just the deputy speaker and chairman.

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The proposed state police legislation is one of President Tinubu's signature constitutional reform initiatives, with Lu noting that the President had consistently advocated for a multi-layered policing system since his tenure as governor of Lagos State.

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Lu stated that the President's consistency in advocating for multi-layered policing demonstrates a clear alignment between his convictions and actions, both as governor and now as President.

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The deputy speaker stressed that although the executive, legislature, and judiciary are separate arms of government, they remain united in pursuing national priorities, particularly improving security across the country.

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Lawmakers convened on Monday, outside the House's traditional Tuesday sitting schedule, due to the urgency attached to the legislation, with Lu stating that they are joining hands with the executive to ensure the successful passage of this priority constitutional amendment.

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Lu disclosed that both chambers of the National Assembly are working closely to harmonize their efforts and fast-track the constitutional amendment process, expressing confidence that the bill would receive presidential assent once transmitted to the President.

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The committee's assignment involves using the Senate-approved version of the executive bill as a working document during the clause-by-clause consideration, with Lu noting that the Senate has already considered and adopted the bill with certain amendments.

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The executive bill is substantially similar to the version previously considered by the House, with only a few modifications, including provisions introducing Section 31 on interpretation, transitional, and saving clauses to facilitate the implementation of the proposed state police framework.

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The Senate introduced about eight minor amendments, which the House Committee would examine and adopt where applicable, with Lu stating that the committee would take into consideration the work already done by the Senate and adopt it where applicable.

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The consideration of the Executive State Police Bill marks a significant step in the ongoing constitutional amendment process, as lawmakers seek to establish a constitutionally-backed multi-tier policing system aimed at improving internal security across the federation.