Why Senate Is Backing State Police Bill

The Senate has defended its approval of the Constitution Alteration Bill seeking the establishment of state police, insisting that the proposed reform is motivated by the country’s pressing security concerns rather than political interests.

According to Ireporter Online, the bill secured passage last Wednesday after receiving the support of more than two-thirds of senators during voting.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele described the proposed legislation as a necessary response to Nigeria’s growing security challenges, stressing that it was conceived out of national necessity rather than political convenience. He maintained that the initiative reflected a broad national consensus rather than partisan calculations.

Bamidele explained that the proposal emerged from memoranda submitted to the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution and underwent extensive consultations with key stakeholders before its passage.

He noted that the overwhelming majority of participants involved in the consultations endorsed the establishment of state police, citing the current security realities confronting the nation as justification for the reform.

The Senate Leader further disclosed that the National Assembly engaged with the Executive, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Speakers of State Houses of Assembly, the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force and other critical stakeholders throughout the legislative process.

He also emphasized that the bill attracted bipartisan support in both chambers of the National Assembly, stating that lawmakers from opposition parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), and Labour Party, voted in favour of the proposal in what he described as a demonstration of commitment to the national interest.

Providing details of the Senate vote, Bamidele revealed that 84 of the 109 senators supported the bill during the clause-by-clause consideration, representing 77.06 percent approval.

He called on opposition parties to continue contributing constructive ideas toward addressing Nigeria’s security challenges, urging political actors to place national peace and stability above partisan disagreements when considering reforms aimed at strengthening the country’s security architecture.