The Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, says the National Assembly is putting safeguards in place to prevent the abuse of state police by governors if the proposal becomes law.
Speaking to State House correspondents after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Bamidele said concerns over possible misuse of state police are legitimate but are being addressed through the ongoing constitutional amendment process.
According to him, lawmakers are developing legal mechanisms to minimise abuse, while additional provisions will be included in amendments to the Police Act to strengthen accountability.
Bamidele noted that most state governors support the creation of state police and expressed confidence that the constitutional amendment would receive speedy approval from state Houses of Assembly once transmitted.
He described the establishment of state police as a necessity in addressing Nigeria’s growing security challenges.
Also speaking after the meeting, Ekiti State Governor Abiodun Oyebanji said governors across the country are ready to implement state policing and are awaiting the transmission of the constitutional amendment by the National Assembly.
He added that state governments are committed to giving the proposal accelerated consideration once it reaches their legislatures.
Governor Oyebanji also reflected on his recent re-election, attributing his victory to public support and the backing of President Bola Tinubu.
He said he has begun reaching out to opposition candidates to promote unity and ensure inclusive governance, stressing that political competition had ended and attention should now shift to development.
On the 2027 general election, the governor expressed confidence that President Tinubu would perform strongly in Ekiti State, citing increasing voter support recorded in recent elections and projecting between 600,000 and 700,000 votes for the President.
