Peter Obi, presidential candidate of Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has urged that the implementation of state police be postponed until after the 2027 general election.
Gatekeepers News reports that Obi warned that the new security structure could be exploited for political purposes if introduced without adequate checks and balances.
His position comes days after the senate approved a constitutional amendment bill aimed at establishing state police across the country as part of efforts to tackle Nigeria’s security challenges.
In a statement issued on Friday, Obi welcomed the passage of the bill, describing it as an important step toward addressing longstanding concerns about the effectiveness of Nigeria’s centralised policing system.
“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.
“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.”
Despite backing the concept, Obi criticised the process that led to the bill’s passage, arguing that such a major constitutional amendment should have involved wider public engagement and consultation.
“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,” he said.
“Indeed, the rush to enact the law without proper legislative procedures fuels suspicion among many observers about the political motives behind it.”
The former Anambra Governor said his main concern was the possibility that state police commands could be controlled by governors and used against political opponents.
“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 said.
“The suspicion is that a state-controlled police force could be weaponised to suppress political rivals, disrupt opposition rallies, and manipulate elections.”
Obi called for strong institutional safeguards, including independent oversight bodies, to prevent political interference in the operation of state police forces.
“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,” he said.
He further argued that delaying implementation until after the next general election would help allay fears that the initiative could be used to influence 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,” Obi said.
“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.”
