The 2027 presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has welcomed the passage of the State Police Establishment Bill by the Nigerian Senate but urged that its implementation be deferred until after the 2027 general elections.
In a statement issued on Friday, Obi described the Senate’s approval of the bill as a significant legislative milestone and a potential step towards addressing Nigeria’s persistent security challenges.
He said the proposed legislation responds to long-standing demands by Nigerians, security experts and regional stakeholders, noting that the country’s highly centralised policing system has proven inadequate for a nation as large and diverse as Nigeria.
Despite supporting the establishment of state police, the former Anambra State governor expressed concern over what he described as the hurried legislative process that led to the bill’s passage.
“The mechanism for passing the law appears highly disorganised, with no public hearing on such a sensitive issue.
“The rush to enact the law without proper legislative procedures fuels suspicion among many observers about the political motives behind it,” Obi said.
He also faulted the limited level of public engagement during the legislative process, stressing the need for greater community participation and stronger policing structures at the local government and community levels.
Obi further warned that the greatest concern surrounding state police was not operational logistics but the possibility of political abuse by state governors.
“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… to suppress political rivals, disrupt opposition rallies, and manipulate elections,” he stated.
To guard against such abuse, Obi called for the establishment of independent state Police Service Commissions insulated from executive control. According to him, such institutions would help ensure that state police operate in the public interest rather than serving the political interests of those in power.
Citing the proximity of the 2027 general elections, Obi argued that implementing the law before the polls could undermine public confidence in the electoral process.
“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 advised.
The Senate’s passage of the State Police Establishment Bill marks a major step in ongoing efforts to reform Nigeria’s policing architecture. The proposal has generated widespread debate in recent years, with supporters arguing that decentralised policing would improve security and response to local threats, while critics have raised concerns about potential political interference and abuse of state-controlled security agencies.
