The House of Representatives has withdrawn its own constitutional amendment bill seeking to establish state police, opting instead to consider an Executive Bill transmitted by President Bola Tinubu. Lawmakers said the move is intended to harmonise legislative efforts and avoid parallel constitutional amendment processes.
The House of Representatives has taken a significant step in the ongoing push for state policing by withdrawing its earlier constitutional amendment bill in favour of a similar proposal submitted by President Bola Tinubu.
The decision was announced during Tuesday’s plenary, where lawmakers also gave the Executive-sponsored bill its first and second readings before referring it to the House Committee on Constitutional Review for further legislative work.
According to the House leadership, the withdrawal was necessary to ensure a unified legislative process after President Tinubu formally transmitted an Executive Bill proposing a constitutional framework for the establishment of state police services.
The lawmakers explained that considering both bills simultaneously could create duplication and complicate the constitutional amendment process.
President Tinubu’s bill seeks to amend the 1999 Constitution to provide a legal framework for state police services while introducing safeguards for a dual policing system involving both federal and state law enforcement agencies.
The proposal builds on previous consultations involving the Presidency, National Assembly and security stakeholders aimed at addressing Nigeria’s growing security challenges.
Following its first and second readings, the Executive Bill has been referred to the House Committee on Constitutional Review for detailed examination.
The committee is expected to scrutinise the proposed amendments before presenting its report to the House for further debate and possible passage.
The House’s decision marks another milestone in Nigeria’s long-running debate over decentralised policing. Attention now shifts to the constitutional review process as lawmakers consider the Executive-backed proposal that could reshape policing across the federation.