The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, says the implementation of state policing should be delayed until after the 2027 general elections due to its potential danger to the polity.

In a statement on Friday, Mr Obi warned that President Bola Tinubu’s administration might take advantage of the legislation to influence the 2027 polls by proxy.

“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 said.

The Senate on Wednesday passed a bill seeking to amend the 1999 Constitution to establish state police services across the federation.

The bill was considered after Senate leader Opeyemi Bamidele presented its general principles. It subsequently scaled second reading, was considered clause-by-clause and passed third reading.

Mr Obi, who commended the passage, however, said its implementation appeared shaky and raised legitimate concerns.

He 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.”

Noting that the implementation process should involve greater community participation, Mr Obi insisted that 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 added.

Mr Obi explained that there was widespread, justifiable fear that state police forces could become instruments in the hands of governors, noting the state-controlled police force could be weaponised to suppress political rivals, disrupt opposition rallies and manipulate elections.

The NDC chieftain advocated independent oversight bodies devoid of executive influence to ensure that state policing serves the public interest rather than the interests of the ruling elite.

“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 entirely free from executive influence, to ensure that policing serves the public interest rather than the interests of the ruling elite,” Mr Obi said.