Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has urged President Bola Tinubu to delay the implementation of state police until after the 2027 general election, warning that introducing the new security structure before the polls could lead to political abuse.
Obi made the appeal days after the National Assembly passed the Constitution Alteration Bill seeking to establish state police as part of efforts to tackle rising insecurity through a decentralised policing system.
The proposed amendment, which still requires approval from at least 24 state Houses of Assembly before receiving presidential assent, provides for the creation of state police commands alongside the Nigeria Police Force. It also contains safeguards intended to prevent governors from misusing the new policing structure.
Despite supporting the idea of state police, Obi expressed concern over the timing and implementation of the reform, saying it could be manipulated ahead of the 2027 elections.
In a statement titled, “State Police: Commendable Step, but Disorderly Legislation Raises Concerns of Political Misuse,” Obi said a centralised policing system has long been unsuitable for a country as large and diverse as Nigeria.
“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 also called for independent state Police Service Commissions that would operate without interference from state governors, insisting that such oversight was necessary to prevent the new policing system from becoming a political tool.
Obi argued that there was no assurance the current administration would not use state police to influence the 2027 elections and urged the Federal Government to postpone its implementation until after the polls.
“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. A New Nigeria is Possible.”
