The Senate has assured Nigerians that work on the harmonisation of the State Police Bill will continue despite the National Assembly’s annual recess, insisting that legislative committees remain fully operational and are determined to fast-track the constitutional amendment.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Publicity, Yemi Adaramodu, disclosed this in an exclusive interview with The PUNCH, saying the ongoing recess would not delay the harmonisation process between the Senate and the House of Representatives.

The assurance comes amid heightened expectations over the proposed creation of state police, regarded by many stakeholders as one of the most far-reaching security reforms in Nigeria’s democratic history.

The bill has gained momentum following its passage by both chambers of the National Assembly and growing support from governors, state legislatures and other stakeholders.

Adaramodu explained that while plenary sessions had been suspended until lawmakers return on September 14, committee work would continue uninterrupted to ensure the legislation is concluded within the shortest possible time.

He said, “Our holiday does not stop harmonisation since we have committees. The National Assembly will resume on September 14 if we have anything to do. So, the recess doesn’t stop the committees of the two chambers from meeting.

“Whenever we have holidays like this, we use the opportunity to attend to our legislative duties and oversight in the relevant committees. The only thing is that we will not go to plenary.

“If we have emergency committee matters to handle, we still do that. But we don’t go to plenary.”

Asked which Senate committee would handle the harmonisation process, the lawmaker said the responsibility rests with the Constitution Review Committee headed by the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin.

“It’s the constitutional review committee since it’s a constitutional matter. We have a constitutional review committee, which is headed by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Jibrin Barau,” he said.

Adaramodu also expressed confidence that the harmonisation exercise would be completed before the lawmakers return from recess, stressing that the State Police Bill had been isolated from other constitutional amendment proposals because of its urgency and overwhelming public support.

“Oh, yes! That one is sure. You know that initially I said that in the life of this 10th Assembly, we are going to make sure all these constitutional amendments are passed for them to come to bear.

“The state police matter is not even the only one that we are dealing with. But this one is an emergency because it is a popular demand by Nigerians.

“So it has already become more of a national debate and discourse. So we cannot just sit and not attend to it expeditiously.

“If we want to take all items, maybe about 10 to 15 items together, it might take a long time. There will be some argument and debate up and down. Then we will also subject it to public hearing and other processes. Definitely, it can delay issues.

“So we don’t want to make the state police matter a porous debate. That’s why we just singled it out to deal with and do it expeditiously before transmitting it to the executive for assent,” he said.

The Senate spokesman further revealed that the National Assembly had already secured the cooperation of state legislatures, whose approval will be required for the constitutional amendment to take effect.

According to him, consultations had already been held with the Speakers of all 36 state Houses of Assembly, while governors had also indicated their readiness to support the legislation.

“On the state Assemblies, you will recall that I told you that we have already met with the Speakers of the entire 36 states.

“You know we have to carry them along and let them know that this is coming to you. On their part, they have already expressed interest in ensuring a speedy action, with a promise not to delay or maybe take a long time to attend to it.

“In fact, the feedback we got from them is positive. Again, the Nigerian Governors’ Forum had already sat earlier on the matter. Recently, the governors themselves signalled that they are very much interested in this bill.

“So since it happened like that, and 36 Houses of Assembly had already keyed into it, definitely it’s supposed to be seamless.

“Now that the Reps have played their part, our committees will fine-tune them. After that one, then it goes straight to the states.

“So I don’t think this can take more than maybe two months, possibly. I think by September, we should have been able to get all these things done,” he assured.

The assurance comes barely a day after the Presidency announced that President Bola Tinubu is expected to receive the draft Executive National Policing Bill on September 3, as part of efforts to overhaul Nigeria’s policing architecture.

The Chief of Staff to the President and Chairman of the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill, Femi Gbajabiamila, disclosed this after a meeting of the group at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He also unveiled a public information portal to enable Nigerians to submit memoranda and position papers that will help shape the proposed legislation before it is transmitted to the National Assembly.

According to Gbajabiamila, the working group is implementing a seven-week, milestone-driven programme running from July 27 to September 14, after which the Executive Bill package will be presented to the President.

He explained that the final package would include schedules, an explanatory memorandum, a legal audit, a consequential amendments matrix, clause-by-clause analysis, a state readiness framework, fiscal and implementation notes, a validation report, a risk register and a controlled digital archive.

Gbajabiamila also clarified that the Executive National Policing Bill is distinct from the constitutional amendment establishing state police already passed by both chambers of the National Assembly, explaining that while the constitutional amendment provides the legal foundation for state policing, the executive bill will establish the operational framework for implementing the new policing system if eventually approved. (PUNCH)

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