The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, yesterday, defended the National Assembly’s decision to prioritise President Bola Tinubu‘s Executive State Police Bill, insisting that the proposal is not being rushed and will undergo public scrutiny before passage.

The two presiding officers spoke during the National Assembly’s Open Week in Abuja amid growing debate over the House of Representatives’ decision to withdraw its own State Police Bill and consider the Executive version transmitted by Tinubu.

Akpabio said that contrary to public perception, work on the state police proposal did not begin with the President’s intervention, noting that the National Assembly had spent more than two and a half years consulting Nigerians and processing constitutional amendments on the issue.

The Senate President’s remarks came amid criticisms from some quarters that lawmakers were moving too quickly to consider the President’s proposal after years of work on the National Assembly’s version of the bill.

Abbas described Tinubu’s executive proposal as more comprehensive than the version earlier passed by the House of Representatives.

The Speaker also responded to concerns raised by some lawmakers and members of the public over the inability to access the draft bill, saying: “To the thoughtful citizens and to members who have observed that they are yet to see the draft bills and who fear that this matter is being settled beyond public view, I offer this reassurance: nothing here is concealed.”

Abbas, therefore, assured that the proposed legislation would include safeguards to prevent the abuse of state police by political office holders.

MEANWHILE, the Conference of Speakers of State Houses of Assembly has thrown its weight behind Tinubu and the National Assembly over the ongoing constitutional amendment process on state policing and devolution of powers.

Chairman of the Conference and Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly, Emomotimi Dennis Guwor, who spoke during the opening ceremony of the 2026 National Assembly Open Week in Abuja, described the reforms as a historic opportunity to strengthen the federation, improve governance and address the nation’s security challenges.

Guwor maintained that a secure Nigeria requires not only strong institutions but also strong partnerships founded on trust, collaboration and active citizens’ participation.

He noted that insecurity remains the greatest challenge confronting the nation, stressing that lasting solutions require stronger collaboration among governments, legislatures, security agencies, traditional institutions, civil society organisations and local communities.

According to him, the constitutional reforms, if adopted and faithfully implemented, have the potential to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture, improve intergovernmental coordination, bring governance closer to the people, and reinforce the principles of true federalism.

Guwor stated that the Conference stands ready to continue working closely with the National Assembly, the Presidency and all relevant stakeholders to ensure that the reforms ultimately serve the best interests of Nigerians.