* Warns rushed legislation could be weaponised to suppress opposition, manipulate elections

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Peter Obi, has urged the Federal Government to postpone the implementation of the newly approved State Police framework until after the 2027 general election.

He warned that the initiative could be exploited for partisan purposes if introduced before the polls.

Obi, in a statement issued on Friday through his X handle, said the passage of the State Police Bill by the National Assembly represented a major legislative milestone in Nigeria’s quest to reform its policing architecture.

He, however, said the manner in which the legislation was processed had raised serious concerns about its credibility and possible political misuse.

He argued that while decentralising policing had long been advocated by security experts and regional stakeholders as a solution to Nigeria’s growing insecurity, the constitutional and legislative framework underpinning the reform appeared weak and failed to inspire public confidence.

According to him, the absence of broad public consultation and the speed with which the legislation was passed had created widespread suspicion about the motives behind the initiative.

Obi said: “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.”

Obi maintained that such a far-reaching security reform required extensive engagement with citizens and stakeholders, insisting that policing should be more visible at the community and local government levels.

He criticised what he described as the disorderly legislative process, noting that the absence of public hearings on such a sensitive constitutional amendment undermined public trust.

“The process should involve greater community participation. Policing should be more visible at the local government and community levels.

“The mechanism for passing the law appears highly disorganised, with no public hearing on such a sensitive issue.

“Indeed, the rush to enact the law without proper legislative procedures fuels suspicion among many observers about the political motives behind it,” he said.

The former Anambra State governor warned that beyond procedural shortcomings, the greater challenge lay in the possibility that state police could become instruments to political intimidation in the hands of state governors.

He said many Nigerians feared that governors could deploy state-controlled police formations to harass opponents, disrupt opposition campaigns and influence electoral outcomes.

He said: “The greatest concern does not arise from logistical issues; it stems from history. There is a widespread, justifiable fear that state police forces could become instruments in the hands of governors.

“The suspicion is that a state-controlled police force could be weaponised to suppress political rivals, disrupt opposition rallies and manipulate elections.”

He stressed that for state policing to become an effective security solution rather than a political liability, the law must establish independent oversight institutions insulated from executive interference.

According to him, each state should have an autonomous Police Service Commission with sufficient constitutional safeguards to ensure that policing serves the public interest instead of political office holders.

Obi also questioned the willingness of the current administration to refrain from exploiting the new policing arrangement ahead of the next general election.

He said: “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.”

He reiterated his familiar message that “A New Nigeria is Possible.”