Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, don defend di decision to prioritise President Bola Tinubu’s Executive State Police Bill. Dem tok say di proposal no dey rushed and go face public scrutiny before passage.
Di two presiding officers yarn during di National Assembly’s Open Week for Abuja. Dis one come amid growing debate over di House of Representatives’ decision to withdraw im own State Police Bill and consider di Executive version wey Tinubu send.
Akpabio say contrary to public perception, work on di state police proposal no begin with di President’s intervention. E note say di National Assembly don spend more dan two and a half years consulting Nigerians and processing constitutional amendments on di issue.
Di Senate President’s remarks come amid criticisms from some quarters say lawmakers dey move too quick to consider di President’s proposal after years of work on di National Assembly’s version of di bill.
Abbas describe Tinubu’s executive proposal as more comprehensive dan di version wey di House of Representatives pass earlier. Abbas assure say di proposed legislation go include safeguards to prevent abuse of state police by political office holders.
Meanwhile, di Conference of Speakers of State Houses of Assembly don throw im weight behind Tinubu and di National Assembly over di ongoing constitutional amendment process on state policing and devolution of powers.
Chairman of di Conference and Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly, Emomotimi Dennis Guwor, wey speak during di opening ceremony of di 2026 National Assembly Open Week for Abuja, describe di reforms as a historic opportunity to strengthen di federation, improve governance, and address di nation’s security challenges.
Guwor maintain say a secure Nigeria require not only strong institutions but also strong partnerships founded on trust, collaboration, and active citizens’ participation. E note say insecurity remain di greatest challenge confronting di nation, stressing say lasting solutions require stronger collaboration among governments, legislatures, security agencies, traditional institutions, civil society organisations, and local communities.
According to am, di constitutional reforms, if adopted and faithfully implemented, get potential to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture, improve intergovernmental coordination, bring governance closer to di people, and reinforce di principles of true federalism. Guwor state say di Conference stand ready to continue working closely with di National Assembly, di Presidency, and all relevant stakeholders to ensure say di reforms ultimately serve di best interests of Nigerians.
