By NAOMI SHARANG

Senate Leader, Sen. Opeyemi Bamidele, has defended the passage of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) (State Police) Bill, 2026, describing it as a child of necessity rather than political expediency.

This is contained in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja by his Directorate of Media and Public Affairs.

Bamidele said the proposed legislation was the outcome of years of consultations, national consensus and growing concerns over insecurity, rather than a partisan political agenda.

He said that while most Nigerians had welcomed the passage of the bill by the National Assembly, some critics had expressed fears that state police could be abused by political leaders.

Part of the fears expressed by the critics, Bamidele said, was that state police could revive the shortcomings associated with regional policing under the 1963 Constitution.

He said that while the concerns had enriched the national debate, they should not overshadow the urgent need for strengthening security across the country.

Bamidele explained that the proposal for state police had undergone extensive scrutiny as part of the ongoing constitutional review process, with memoranda received from stakeholders across the federation.

He said that the National Assembly consulted widely with the executive arm, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures and the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force before the bill was passed.

Bamidele added that public hearings conducted in all the six geo-political zones in July 2025 recorded overwhelming support for the establishment of state police.

The senate leader further disclosed that the Nigeria Police Force submitted a comprehensive memorandum backing the proposal.

“It included recommendations that helped lawmakers incorporate accountability and oversight mechanisms to guard against possible abuse by political actors,” he stated.

The senator also said that supports for the bill cut across party lines, noting that lawmakers from opposition parties, including PDP, ADC, NDC and Labour Party, voted in its favour.

According to him, 84 of the 109 senators participated in the clause-by-clause voting and supported the bill, representing a 77.06 per cent approval rate in the senate.

Bamidele urged political leaders to treat security as a national priority rather than a partisan issue.

He said that opposition parties should bring ideas that would improve the legislation instead of opposing it for political reasons.

Bamidele maintained that the proposal to establish state police was of urgent public importance and should not be sacrificed because of political ambitions.

He added that the bill was aimed at strengthening security and protecting lives and property across the country. (NAN)

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