The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called on the House of Representatives to recommit the proposed State Police Constitution Alteration Bill to a fresh legislative process, alleging that the current procedure adopted for its passage undermines constitutional provisions.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the opposition party said while it supports the establishment of state police to address Nigeria’s security challenges, it could not endorse a process that allegedly violates the Constitution.
The ADC questioned reports that the constitutional threshold required for the passage of the constitutional amendment was achieved through votes transmitted via WhatsApp by lawmakers who were absent from the chamber and by counting members who had signed the attendance register but were no longer present during voting.
According to the party, such allegations raise serious legal and constitutional concerns.
“The Constitution is not amended by convenience. It is amended through strict procedures that leave no room for improvisation,” the statement said, stressing that constitutional amendment procedures must be followed irrespective of the merits of the proposed legislation.
The party also expressed concern over reports that clause-by-clause consideration of the bill was curtailed during proceedings and that constitutional objections raised by some lawmakers were not adequately addressed.
It argued that constitutional amendments require openness, extensive debate and strict adherence to the Constitution as well as the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives.
The ADC further contended that the current version of the State Police Bill had not been subjected to sufficient public scrutiny, despite containing what it described as significant policy reforms capable of reshaping Nigeria’s security architecture.
While acknowledging that the concept of state police has featured in previous constitutional review exercises, the party maintained that the latest proposal should undergo a dedicated public consultation process before becoming law.
According to the ADC, the objective should not merely be to create another policing institution but to establish a framework capable of addressing the country’s worsening insecurity while safeguarding against potential political abuse.
The party warned that without broad public engagement, the legislation risked emerging from what it described as “the echo chamber of the ruling party” rather than benefiting from robust national debate.
It also cautioned against repeating the mistakes of previous laws and policies that required amendments or reversals after implementation because they were insufficiently scrutinised before passage.
The party urged the House of Representatives to recommit the bill to a legislative process that is constitutional, transparent and inclusive, insisting that Nigeria deserves a state police framework that enjoys public confidence because it has been thoroughly debated and strengthened before being incorporated into the Constitution. Authority.
