ADC calls for recommitment of state police bill, citing constitutional violations in House of Representatives' passage
The African Democratic Congress ADC has urged the House of Representatives to re-evaluate the proposed constitutional amendment for state police, alleging that its passage violated constitutional procedures. The opposition party claims the required constitutional threshold was met by including votes sent via WhatsApp from absent lawmakers and counting members who signed the attendance register but were no longer present during the vote. In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC emphasized that constitutional amendments must strictly adhere to established procedures to ensure legitimacy. While supporting the establishment of state police to address Nigeria's security crisis, the party insists the process must be transparent and constitutional. The ADC also criticized the handling of the legislation, stating that clause-by-clause scrutiny was curtailed and constitutional objections from some lawmakers were not adequately addressed. Furthermore, the party argued that the current version of the bill has not undergone sufficient public scrutiny, despite introducing significant policy changes to Nigeria's security architecture. The ADC warned against legislative haste, advocating for rigorous public examination and broad stakeholder participation to ensure the state police framework commands public confidence and effectively addresses insecurity without requiring future reversals.
