Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi, has criticised the legislative process leading to the passage of the State Police Bill, warning that the proposed security reform could be exploited as a political weapon if adequate safeguards are not put in place.
In a statement posted on his X account on Friday, Obi described the establishment of state police as a long-overdue reform capable of addressing Nigeria’s growing security challenges. However, he expressed concern that the legislation was hurriedly enacted without sufficient public engagement or constitutional safeguards to prevent abuse.
“The recent passage of the State Police Bill by the National Assembly marks a significant legislative milestone in addressing a long-standing demand of the Nigerian people. For years, many of us, alongside security experts and regional stakeholders, have consistently argued that a highly centralised policing structure is fundamentally unsuitable for a country as vast, diverse, and complex as Nigeria. However, the legislative and constitutional implementation appears shaky and raises legitimate concerns,” he said.
Obi argued that the process of passing the bill lacked transparency and broad-based consultation, insisting that legislation of such national importance should have undergone extensive public scrutiny.
“The process should involve greater community participation. Policing should be more visible at the local government and community levels. The mechanism for passing the law appears highly disorganised, with no public hearing on such a sensitive issue. Indeed, the rush to enact the law without proper legislative procedures fuels suspicion among many observers about the political motives behind it,” he stated.
While reaffirming his support for decentralised policing, the former Anambra State governor warned that the greatest danger lies in the possibility of state police becoming instruments of political repression in the hands of state governors.
“The greatest concern does not arise from logistical issues; it stems from history. There is a widespread, justifiable fear that state police forces could become instruments in the hands of governors. The suspicion is that a state-controlled police force could be weaponised to suppress political rivals, disrupt opposition rallies, and manipulate elections,” Obi cautioned.
To guard against such abuse, he called for the creation of independent oversight institutions insulated from executive control, stressing that state police should serve the public interest rather than partisan objectives.
“For state policing to evolve from a risky political gamble into a genuine security solution, the law must not only permit states to establish police forces but also clearly provide for independent oversight bodies, such as a state-level Police Service Commission that is entirely free from executive influence, to ensure that policing serves the public interest rather than the interests of the ruling elite,” he said.
Obi further urged that implementation of the law be deferred until after the 2027 general election, citing fears that the current administration could exploit the new policing structure to gain political advantage.
“Going by what Nigerians have seen so far, there is no guarantee that this administration can resist the temptation to take advantage of state policing to influence the 2027 general election by proxy. In view of that possibility and the danger it poses to the polity, it is necessary to defer its implementation until after the general election,” he added.
He concluded the statement with his signature message: “A New Nigeria is POssible.”
