State Police Bill reflects national consensus, not political expediency — Senate

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Senate

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By Henry Umoru

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ABUJA — The Senate has defended the passage of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) (State Police) Bill, 2026, describing it as a product of national consensus rather than political cynicism.

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The upper chamber said the legislative initiative was born out of necessity and not political expediency, stressing that the proposal was driven by the country’s worsening security situation.

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In a statement issued on Sunday, Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central), said the creation of state police was a matter of urgent national importance that could not be delayed because of political considerations or individual ambitions.

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According to the statement, released through his Directorate of Media and Public Affairs, the process of incorporating state police into Nigeria’s governance structure did not begin recently but had evolved through extensive consultations and constitutional review.

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Bamidele noted that despite some dissenting opinions, the proposal had received broad public support, with many Nigerians convinced that state police would significantly improve security at the sub-national level.

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He explained that the proposal formed part of memoranda submitted to the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution and was subjected to rigorous scrutiny and multi-level consultations because of its sensitive nature.

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According to him, the National Assembly consulted widely with key stakeholders, including the Executive, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures, and the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force.

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He further disclosed that the National Assembly conducted public hearings across the six geopolitical zones in July 2025, where participants overwhelmingly endorsed the proposal.

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“At each level of our consultation, nearly all stakeholders embraced the State Police Bill in the light of the stark realities we are facing today,” he said.

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Bamidele also highlighted the contributions of the Nigeria Police Force to the drafting of the constitutional amendment, noting that its recommendations helped shape accountability and oversight mechanisms designed to prevent abuse of state police by political actors.

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According to him, the police leadership’s support for the bill underscores its strategic importance in addressing insecurity at the local and state levels.

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The Senate Leader added that deliberations on the bill generated extensive debate in both the Senate and the House of Representatives before its eventual passage.

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“Even though the APC is the majority party, members of opposition parties, including the PDP, ADC, NDC and Labour Party, exercised their discretion in support of the bill in the national interest rather than on parochial grounds.

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“In the Senate, for instance, 84 out of 109 members voted clause-by-clause in support of the bill. This represented a 77.06 per cent approval rate in the Senate alone,” he said.

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Bamidele argued that security is a collective public good that transcends ethnic, political and religious divisions, adding that political leaders across the world often set aside partisan interests to support initiatives that strengthen national security.

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He urged opposition parties and their leaders to contribute constructive ideas that would promote peace and stability in the country.

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“Even where they disagree, they have an obligation to offer credible and practical ideas that will make our nation better and stronger. Unfortunately, they have not passed this critical test of opposition democracy,” he stated.

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