The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi, has described the passage of the State Police Bill by the National Assembly as a commendable and long-awaited step toward strengthening Nigeria’s security architecture. However, he warned that the manner in which the legislation was processed and the absence of critical constitutional safeguards have raised legitimate concerns about the potential political misuse of state police by governors.
In a statement on the development, Obi acknowledged that the decentralisation of policing has been a longstanding demand by many Nigerians, security experts, and regional stakeholders who believe that the country’s highly centralised policing structure is no longer adequate for addressing the nation’s growing security challenges.
According to him, Nigeria’s size, population, diversity, and complex security realities require a policing system that is closer to the people and more responsive to local threats.
“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,” Obi said.
He noted that for many years, he had consistently advocated the establishment of state police, arguing that a centrally controlled police force could not effectively police a country as vast and diverse as Nigeria.
Despite welcoming the legislation in principle, the former Anambra State governor expressed reservations about both the legislative process and the constitutional framework supporting the bill, describing its implementation as shaky and capable of creating unintended political consequences.
According to Obi, legislation of such national importance should have been subjected to wider consultations involving citizens, civil society organisations, security professionals, traditional institutions, and other stakeholders.
He argued that policing is fundamentally a community-oriented responsibility and, therefore, any reform of the nation’s policing structure should reflect the views and aspirations of the people who will ultimately be affected by it.
“The process should involve greater community participation. Policing should be more visible at the local government and community levels,” he stated.
Obi further criticised what he described as the hurried manner in which the legislation was passed, noting that there appeared to have been no comprehensive public hearing on an issue with far-reaching constitutional, political, and security implications.
According to him, bypassing established legislative procedures on such a sensitive national matter only fuels public suspicion regarding the motives behind the law.
“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 governor explained that his greatest concern was not the logistics of establishing state police but the historical pattern of political interference in public institutions.
He observed that many Nigerians remain apprehensive that state police forces, if not properly insulated from political control, could become instruments of oppression in the hands of state governors.
According to Obi, there is widespread and justifiable fear that governors may deploy state-controlled police forces to intimidate political opponents, suppress dissent, frustrate opposition activities, and influence electoral outcomes.
“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,” he stated.
He warned that unless robust constitutional safeguards are introduced, the establishment of state police could inadvertently weaken democratic governance rather than strengthen public security.
Obi stressed that the law should go beyond merely authorising states to establish police commands and must also provide for independent oversight institutions capable of protecting the operational autonomy and professionalism of the proposed security agencies.
He specifically advocated the creation of independent State Police Service Commissions that would be constitutionally protected from executive interference and vested with responsibility for recruitment, promotion, discipline, and oversight of state police personnel.
According to him, only an independent oversight mechanism can guarantee that state police remain accountable to the law and the people rather than serving the political interests of incumbent governors.
“For state policing to evolve from a risky political gamble into a genuine security solution, the law must not only permit states to establish police forces but also clearly provide for independent oversight bodies, such as a state-level Police Service Commission that is entirely free from executive influence,” Obi said.
He added that such institutional safeguards would ensure that policing serves the public interest while strengthening transparency, accountability, and respect for human rights.
Obi also expressed concern over the timing of the implementation of the new policing arrangement, arguing that public confidence in the current political environment remains fragile.
He maintained that based on prevailing political realities, many Nigerians are uncertain whether those currently in power would resist the temptation to use state policing structures to influence political outcomes ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“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,” he said.
In view of what he described as the significant risks posed to Nigeria’s democratic process, Obi proposed that the implementation of the State Police framework be deferred until after the 2027 general election.
According to him, postponing implementation would allow sufficient time to strengthen the legal framework, establish credible oversight institutions, and build broad national consensus capable of ensuring that the reform achieves its intended objective of improving security without compromising democracy.
He reiterated that while state police remain an important component of Nigeria’s security reform agenda, the process must be guided by transparency, constitutional safeguards, and institutional independence.
Obi concluded by expressing optimism that Nigeria can build a policing system that enhances public safety while preserving democratic values, insisting that with strong institutions and responsible leadership, “A New Nigeria is POssible.”
