Senate to decide fate of state police, electoral offences commission, others, today

From Kenneth Udeh, Abuja

The Nation stands on the threshold of one of the most significant constitutional transformations since the return to democratic rule in 1999 as the Senate prepares to vote on a sweeping package of constitutional amendment bills that could fundamentally alter the nation’s security architecture, electoral system, governance structure, human rights framework and traditional institutions today.

At the core of the historic constitutional alteration exercise is the long-debated proposal for the establishment of State Police Services, a measure many security experts and political leaders believe could redefine the country’s response to rising insecurity, banditry, terrorism, kidnapping and communal conflicts.

However, the State Police proposal is only one of several far-reaching amendments before lawmakers.

As exclusively gathered by the Sun, also awaiting Senate’s consideration are proposals to place the Armed Forces of the Federation on a constitutional “first-line charge,” guaranteeing direct access to funding from the Consolidated Revenue Fund; grant constitutional recognition and financial autonomy to traditional rulers through the establishment of State Councils of Traditional Rulers; introduce independent candidacy for governorship, legislative and local government elections and establish a constitutionally-backed Electoral Offences Commission to investigate and prosecute election-related crimes.

The lawmakers will also consider a constitutional amendment requiring courts to automatically commute death sentences imposed on pregnant women to life imprisonment where pregnancy is established to the satisfaction of the court.

Another controversial proposal seeks to outlaw the public parade of criminal suspects by law enforcement agencies, declaring the practice a form of inhuman and degrading treatment and strengthening the constitutional presumption of innocence.

The constitutional review package further contains reforms aimed at strengthening local government autonomy, expanding children’s rights protections, improving the independence of electoral institutions, devolving more powers to states, enhancing fiscal accountability and granting greater constitutional backing to key democratic institutions.

Beckoning his colleagues during yesterday’s emergency plenary session, Senate President, Godswill Akpabio urged senators to ensure full attendance during today’s plenary, emphasising that constitutional amendments require broad legislative participation and support.

Describing the State Police proposal as a landmark reform, Akpabio said Nigeria was at a defining moment in its democratic evolution.

“Since 1960, Nigeria has not had the courage to decentralise policing and this is the first time,” he said.

The Senate President argued that local communities, traditional rulers, youth leaders and grassroots stakeholders are often better positioned to identify criminal elements and provide actionable intelligence than a centralised policing system headquartered in Abuja.

Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, also stressed the importance of attendance, noting that constitutional amendments require the support of at least two-thirds of lawmakers.

The bills, if eventually approved by both chambers of the National Assembly and ratified by at least 24 state Houses of Assembly, would represent one of the most comprehensive constitutional overhauls in Nigeria’s democratic history.