…describes state police as a “child of necessity”

…Governors pledge speedy ratification of constitutional amendment

…Targets 700,000 votes for Tinubu in 2027, extends olive branch to opposition

The National Assembly has begun putting constitutional safeguards in place to prevent the abuse of state police by governors, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele disclosed on Wednesday, expressing confidence that the long-awaited security reform would enjoy swift approval across the states.

Bamidele, who described the proposed state police as “a child of necessity,” said lawmakers were deliberately building mechanisms into the constitutional amendment to minimise political interference and ensure accountability once the system takes effect.

Speaking with State House correspondents after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the Senate Leader acknowledged public concerns that governors could misuse state-controlled police formations but insisted such fears were being addressed through the ongoing legislative process.

“There will always be fears and concerns, but whether the concerns are well founded is another issue altogether, and we are not unmindful of them,” he said.

“They are legitimate concerns, but even with the federal police, a governor who is the chief security officer of a state can still influence how policing is carried out, depending on how much the system allows manipulation.

“Most importantly, we are putting mechanisms in the law as we amend the Constitution that will prevent or minimise instances of abuse by state governors.”

According to him, not every operational detail can be entrenched in the Constitution, adding that further safeguards would be contained in consequential amendments to the Police Act.

Bamidele said broad consensus had already emerged among state governors on the need for state police, expressing optimism that state legislatures would quickly endorse the constitutional amendment once transmitted by the National Assembly.

“As much as possible, not everything can go into the Constitution. What’s important is that all the governors, or most of them, are on the same page with us. That will be demonstrated by the speed with which the bill receives concurrence in their state Houses of Assembly.

“It is important that we all know that state police is a child of necessity,” he added.

He dismissed suggestions that the proposal was driven by partisan interests, saying the country’s worsening security challenges had made decentralised policing imperative.

“In the amendment to the Police Act that will follow, we will spell out more details, details that cannot possibly go into the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.

Also speaking after the meeting, Ekiti State Governor Abiodun Oyebanji said governors across the federation had resolved to support the creation of state police, revealing that most states had already submitted their positions through the National Economic Council (NEC).

“We are ready for state police, and we are grateful to the National Assembly for the constitutional amendments. We are waiting for them to be transmitted to the state Houses of Assembly.

“The governors have made up their minds that they will give it speedy approval so we can start implementing,” Oyebanji said.

The governor also reflected on his recent re-election victory, attributing it to divine favour and the support of President Tinubu, which he said enabled his administration to fulfil campaign promises.

He disclosed that he had already begun reconciliation efforts by reaching out to his defeated opponents, stressing that governance must now take precedence over politics.

“The election ended when the winner was declared. I phoned the two other candidates, and together with the chairman of the campaign council, we visited one of them and had an understanding.

“Once I return to Ekiti, I will visit the other one. They have assured me of their cooperation because politics is over and we must return to governance.

“I told them I would need their wisdom, suggestions and advice as we continue to serve the people,” he said.

Oyebanji said his administration would remain committed to implementing the state’s 30-year development plan, describing it as the foundation of successive annual budgets and government policies.

Looking ahead to the 2027 presidential election, the governor projected a significantly improved electoral performance for President Tinubu in Ekiti, saying the state could deliver between 600,000 and 700,000 votes for the President.

Recalling previous election results, Oyebanji said the All Progressives Congress (APC) had steadily increased its vote tally in the state, from about 187,000 votes in the 2022 governorship election to 210,000 during the 2023 presidential election, and about 318,000 in the just-concluded governorship poll.

“Based on that trajectory, a target of between 600,000 and 700,000 votes for the President in 2027 is achievable,” he said.