‘State police framework must be properly debated before becoming law’ – ADC

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.

The party insisted that such an important amendment must be handled in a transparent, constitutional and inclusive manner.

In a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC said that while it supports the creation of state police to tackle Nigeria’s security challenges, it cannot support a process that allegedly undermines the Constitution.

The party raised concerns over reports that the constitutional requirement for passing the amendment was met through votes allegedly sent via WhatsApp by lawmakers who were absent from the chamber, while some members who had only signed the attendance register were also counted during voting.

“The Constitution is not amended by convenience. It is amended through strict procedures that leave no room for improvisation,” the statement said.

According to the ADC, regardless of the intention behind the bill, the constitutional process for amending the nation’s laws must not be bypassed.

The party also expressed concern that lawmakers did not give enough attention to clause-by-clause consideration of the bill and allegedly failed to properly address constitutional objections raised during the debate.

It argued that constitutional amendments require openness, thorough debate and strict compliance with both the Constitution and the House Standing Orders.

The ADC further stated that the current version of the State Police Bill had not received the level of public scrutiny expected for a constitutional reform of such significance.

It noted that although state police had been discussed during previous constitutional review exercises, the latest proposal contains major policy changes that Nigerians have not had the opportunity to examine through a dedicated public process.

“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 said.

The ADC warned that without proper public examination, Nigeria could end up with legislation that reflects only the position of the ruling party instead of addressing the concerns of citizens.

It added that the country had previously witnessed important laws and policies that later required amendments because they were not adequately scrutinised before passage.

The party therefore urged the House of Representatives to return the bill for a fresh legislative 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 added.

‘State police framework must be properly debated before becoming law’ – ADC