The African Democratic Congress (ADC), has accused the House of Representatives of undermining the Constitution in its handling of the State Police Constitution Alteration Bill, alleging that the legislation was passed through a flawed process that lacked transparency, inclusiveness and due legislative procedure.
- +ADC seeks fresh House of Reps vote over irregularities on state police
In a statement on Tuesday, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC National Publicity Secretary, called on the House to recommit the Bill to a fresh constitutional process, citing reports that the required two-thirds majority was attained by recognising votes transmitted via WhatsApp from lawmakers absent from the chamber and by counting members who had signed the attendance register but were no longer present during voting.
In a statement on Tuesday, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC National Publicity Secretary, called on the House to recommit the Bill to a fresh constitutional process, citing reports that the required two-thirds majority was attained by recognising votes transmitted via WhatsApp from lawmakers absent from the chamber and by counting members who had signed the attendance register but were no longer present during voting.
“These allegations raise profound legal and constitutional concerns. The Constitution is not amended by convenience. It is amended through strict procedures that leave no room for improvisation,” he said. The opposition party argued that regardless of the merits of establishing state police, constitutional amendment procedures must be followed to preserve the integrity of the legislative process.
Recall that the House of Representatives had passed the State Police Constitution Alteration Bill after voting on the proposed constitutional amendment as part of the ongoing review of the 1999 Constitution.
The bill seeks to establish state police alongside the Nigeria Police Force to strengthen grassroots policing and improve security. Its passage, however, sparked controversy among some lawmakers and Nigerians.
The ADC said accounts by lawmakers who participated in the proceedings indicated that the constitutional threshold for the amendment was achieved through votes sent electronically and by recognising lawmakers who were not physically present when the question was put.
The party also expressed concern that meaningful clause-by-clause consideration of the Bill was curtailed and constitutional objections raised during deliberations were not adequately addressed.
“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 ADC said.
The opposition party maintained that while many Nigerians support the creation of state police to tackle worsening insecurity, the current proposal contains significant policy changes that have not been subjected to sufficient public scrutiny.
“The objective is not merely to establish another police institution. It is to reduce the insecurity that has devastated communities across the country. This new proposal demands careful scrutiny, not legislative manipulation,” he added.
The ADC warned that without rigorous public debate, the country risks enacting a constitutional amendment that reflects “only the echo chamber of the ruling party rather than the searching questions of the Nigerian people.”
The party further argued that Nigeria has repeatedly enacted major laws that later required amendments or reversals because they were insufficiently scrutinised before passage.
It therefore urged the House of Representatives to recommit the State Police Bill to “a constitutional, transparent and inclusive process” to ensure the eventual legislation commands broad public confidence and contains adequate safeguards against abuse.
