Follow Us on Google
- ..says Tinubu ready to sign bill into law
From Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja
Leader of the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidele, has disclosed that the Senate would this week begin fast-tracking the constitutional amendment process for the establishment of state police, expressing confidence that the proposal would “come to fruition this very week.”
The amendment seeking the establishment of state police will be immediately transmitted to the 36 State Houses of Assembly immediately afterwards, he added.
According to him, the issue will dominate the Senate’s legislative agenda in plenary today.
He disclosed this on Monday in a statement released on Monday night by his media and public affairs directorate.
Bamidele stressed that due to the insecurity across the country, there was now broad consensus among critical stakeholders on the need to decentralise policing for a more effective response to the challenge.
He revealed that “there have been a series of meetings between the National Assembly. When I say the National Assembly, I mean Chairman, Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, Barau I. Jibrin and Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, Benjamin Kalu, both of whom are representing the National Assembly.
“They had been in a series of meetings with the office of Attorney-General, Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Tunji Disu and other stakeholders in the last one week and that is why I can sit here to tell you that we’re pursuing that this week.”
According to him, lawmakers decided to isolate the state police proposal from the broader constitutional amendment exercise because of its urgency.
Other News
“It is going to be the subject we will be dealing with this week. What we have resolved to do is to isolate it with the rest of the bills that we have proposed under constitutional amendment so that we can vote on this as soon as possible,” he stated.
The Senate leader said the lawmakers had resolved to separate the state police proposal from other constitutional amendment bills to hasten legislative action on the matter.
He said, “Our position is very clear on state police. We are standing with Nigerians on the issue of state police. All strata of the federation have made it clear that there cannot be a better time to establish a state police than now.
“That is where we stand. Where we are coming in is to now help translate this popular desire of the people into reality as elected representatives of the Nigerian people.”
“We came to the conclusion that we are going to pass the constitutional amendment in this respect to make a provision for the state police. If I can tell you as of today, that will come to fruition this very week because there is no need to allow any further delay,” he said.
He explained that once passed by the National Assembly, the bill would be transmitted to the state legislatures for consideration, noting that approval by at least two-thirds of the assemblies would be required before it could be presented to President Bola Tinubu for assent.
“The bill can as well be on its way to the 36 States House of Assemblies as soon as possible because you know we will need two-third of the state assemblies to approve it before the president can assent to it,” he said.
Bamidele expressed confidence that the proposal would receive the backing of both the President and state governors.
“The president is also with us on this proposal. I am sure he cannot wait for the bill to come to him for assent. I am sure the majority of our governors as we know are in support of this bill. The state assemblies are also waiting for this bill to come. We will initiate the proposal for the creation of state police within the week,” he added.
Also lending weight to the proposal, Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, recently disclosed that President Tinubu would soon receive a comprehensive report on the proposed creation of state police as consultations on its constitutional framework draws close closer to completion.
