The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called on the House of Representatives to recommit the State Police Constitution Alteration Bill to a fresh legislative process.
The party alleged that the constitutional amendment was passed through a procedure that lacked transparency, inclusiveness and strict adherence to constitutional requirements.
In a statement on Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC expressed concern over reports that the constitutional threshold required for the passage of the bill was attained through votes transmitted via WhatsApp by lawmakers who were absent from the chamber.
According to the party, allegations that absent members were allowed to vote remotely and that lawmakers who had merely signed the attendance register were counted toward the required quorum raise serious constitutional questions.
“The Constitution is not amended by convenience. It is amended through strict procedures that leave no room for improvisation,” the party stated.
The ADC stressed that while it supports the creation of state police as a response to Nigeria’s worsening security challenges, it could not endorse a process that allegedly undermines the Constitution it seeks to amend.
“Regardless of the noble intentions behind the amendment, the constitutional process for amendment must not be circumvented,” the statement added.
The party also questioned the conduct of proceedings during the House consideration of the bill on July 23, 2026, alleging that meaningful clause-by-clause scrutiny was curtailed and constitutional objections raised by some of the lawmakers were not adequately addressed.
“Constitutional alteration demands openness, robust debate and strict fidelity to both the Constitution and the Standing Orders of the House. This appears not to be the case in respect of this particular amendment,” the ADC said.
Beyond procedural concerns, the party argued that the current version of the proposed state police framework had not been subjected to sufficient public examination despite its far-reaching implications for Nigeria’s security architecture.
It noted that although the concept of state police had featured in previous constitutional review exercises, the latest proposal contains significant policy changes that Nigerians have not had the opportunity to scrutinise through a dedicated public engagement process.
The ADC warned against what it described as legislative haste, insisting that the objective should be to develop an effective policing structure capable of addressing insecurity rather than merely creating another institution.
“It is one thing to pass a Bill for political expediency. It is another thing to ensure that it actually solves the problem it was intended to solve,” the party stated.
“The objective is not merely to establish another police institution. It is to reduce the insecurity that has devastated communities across the country. This is why this new proposal for the establishment of State Police demands careful scrutiny, not legislative manipulation.”
The party further cautioned that inadequate scrutiny could result in a flawed constitutional amendment requiring future corrections, amendments or reversals.
“Unless this Bill is subjected to rigorous public examination, we risk enacting legislation that has survived only the echo chamber of the ruling party rather than the searching questions of the Nigerian people,” it said.
The ADC therefore urged the House of Representatives to reopen deliberations on the bill and subject it to a process that is constitutional, transparent and inclusive.
“Nigeria deserves a State Police framework that commands public confidence because it has been properly debated, strengthened to guarantee the required outcome and protect against abuse before becoming part of our Constitution,” the statement concluded.
(The Whistler)
