The Peoples Redemption Party has cautioned against the planned establishment of state police, arguing that the administration of President Bola Tinubu lacks the credibility and public trust required to undertake such a major restructuring of Nigeria’s policing architecture.
The opposition party’s position comes barely 24 hours after the Senate passed the Constitution Alteration Bill seeking to establish state police across the federation, a move widely seen as a significant step towards decentralising policing powers in response to the country’s worsening security challenges.
In a statement issued on Thursday by its National Chairman, Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, the PRP expressed concern over the proposed reform, describing the move as suspicious and urging Nigerians to reject it.
“The Peoples Redemption Party is deeply concerned over plans by President Tinubu’s administration to procure State Police through constitutional amendment at a time when its credibility and competence are at an unprecedented low level in our democratic history,” Baba-Ahmed said.
The PRP noted that while constitutional requirements may eventually be met to actualise the proposal, the current administration lacks the moral standing to oversee such a far-reaching change.
“Going by precedent and record, this administration will almost certainly secure what is needed to amend the Constitution and actualise its desire to establish State Police.
“While Nigeria needs a major review and overhaul of its security, law and order institutions to address national security and create an environment that should raise citizens’ confidence and faith in leaders and critical institutions.
“This administration lacks the moral assets and the trust of Nigerians to undertake a major shift in the policing structure of the country. The APC administration has failed to manage our security structure and institutions. Its plan to engineer the emergence of State Police, is suspicious and it should be rejected,” he stated.
The party further advised that the issue of state police should be left for consideration after the next general election, arguing that the country first needs a government that enjoys broad public confidence before embarking on such reforms.
“The PRP advises that the forthcoming election should be a threshold which should be crossed with credibility and popular acclaim before the nation decides on important issues such as state police structures.
“It further advises the current administration to make more efforts towards securing citizens and bringing an end to the nightmare under which we all live,” Baba-Ahmed added.
The Senate on Wednesday approved the Constitution Alteration Bill after a clause-by-clause consideration of the proposal during plenary.
The legislation secured the support of more than two-thirds of senators through a manual voting process conducted on the floor of the chamber.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced the passage of the bill after lawmakers overwhelmingly backed the proposal following the presentation of a report by the Senate Committee on the Review of the Constitution, chaired by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin.
The bill seeks to create a constitutional framework for state police while retaining federal police authority over matters such as terrorism, border security and other national security concerns.
However, before becoming law, the constitutional amendment must still secure the approval of at least 24 state Houses of Assembly and receive presidential assent.